Aaron's Annulment Bride (Sweethearts of Jubilee Springs Book 3)

by Zina Abbott

  Royce Bainbridge’s booming voice interrupted her observation. “How many marriages have taken place or are scheduled for today?” Aaron was among those who raised his hand, but Andrea noticed Harold didn’t raise his. She felt sadness descend upon her. If any couple was in love and deserved to be together, it was her friend and Harold. What had happened?

  Royce began to call names and pull numbered pieces of paper out of a hat. The next thing Andrea knew, Aaron stood next to her, a big grin on his face. “Sweetheart, we got house number two. It’s on the far side away from the mines with the front door facing the river and the back door facing the mountains. It’s not on the very end, but next to it. Do you feel up to walking there after we get something to eat?”

  Andrea smiled and nodded. If she pictured the line of houses correctly, she was happy about the one that would be theirs. She liked that as long as she was there, she could go in the back yard and look at the mountains. She wouldn’t be surrounded by all the families that would eventually live there.

  For Andrea, the next two hours passed as if in a dream. They ate a quick lunch before Aaron made their excuses. They left to see the inside of the cabin to figure out what the Bainbridges had provided, and what they needed right away to set up housekeeping. After being assured that his parents would later be opening the mercantile to any newlyweds that needed supplies for their new homes, the pair walked the three long blocks to their new house.

  Once they entered, Andrea took note the stone fireplace with a wooden mantel served as the main feature of the room. A fire in the winter would keep the house cozy. In front of it rested a divan. Two oil lamps in wall sconces would provide light. The middle room was a bedroom containing a double size mattress on an iron frame, a wooden bureau and hooks on wall for clothes. The kitchen at the back had a water pump at sink. That would be a luxury for Andrea who was accustomed to bringing in water from the outside. There was also a cast iron stove, an icebox, and a table with two chairs. Off to the side she found a small room with a washtub for laundry and bathing.

  The two discussed what they would need to get them through the next few days as they started back towards the mercantile. The entire time, in Andrea’s mind, the thought loomed larger and larger. She needed to tell him.

  “Aaron, there’s something you need to know.”

  Aaron turned to her, waiting.

  Andrea swallowed and cleared her throat. “Aaron, I consider it an honor that you asked me to marry you. Of all the men here, you would be my first choice for a husband if I were to be married.”

  “Andrea, we are married.”

  “But I can’t stay married, Aaron, not to you, not to any man. There are things about me you don’t know. If you did, you wouldn’t have willingly had anything to do with me. You deserve someone better than me. That’s why after you get the deed to the house filed so it is officially in your name, we need to annul our marriage.”

  “What? I don’t understand, Andrea. I don’t want an annulment.”

  “It’s the best way. I know I have to pay you back, and I will. I didn’t spend any of the money Lizett gave me for expenses, and I can give that to you right away. I promise I will get a job and earn the money to pay back everything else. Then you can hire Lizett to find you the wife you deserve. In the meantime, at least you’ll have your house.”

  Aaron shook his head, bewildered by her words. “Andrea, I don’t think you understand how this works. The houses are on Prosperity Mine land. Our house is a company house that belongs to Clive and Royce Bainbridge. They have provided the house for us to live in at no additional cost as long as we are married and I am still working for them. If I were to leave Prosperity Mine, or I no longer had a wife or children, I would have to give up the house so they could let another married miner live here.”

  Andrea’s mouth dropped open as dismay suffused her face. Her lower lip quivered as she stared at him while she absorbed what he had explained to her. “Then…all this was for nothing. I never should have married you, but let you find a wife you deserve. Oh, Aaron, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I didn’t know.”

  “Andrea, I have the wife I deserve—you. I don’t know what there is that makes you think I deserve better than you, but I don’t agree. I chose you, Andrea. I said ‘I do,’ and I still mean it.”

  Andrea shook her head and stared at her feet. “It’s because you don’t know, and I can’t talk about it. If you knew…Aaron, until I get the annulment, I’ll do right by you. The contract says I have a month before you can expect me to…you know, but other than that I’ll take care of your home and cook for you. I’m sure I can arrange for an annulment before the month is up.”

  After several seconds of silence, Andrea looked up. Aaron stood with his arms folded while he studied her.

  “Does your friend Catherine know about this?”

  Andrea shook her head. “No. I haven’t told anyone. I can’t talk about it.”

  “Andrea, we will have to work this out, but maybe today isn’t the best time. Will you promise me this? Don’t talk about an annulment to anyone, not even your friend Catherine. Give us the month. I won’t touch you if you don’t want me to. We’ll try to work this out, and decide what is best for you. If at the end of the month you still want an annulment, I won’t stop you. Will you agree to that?”

  “I can agree to that. I promise I won’t say anything to anyone.”

  “Thank you. But, understand this, Andrea. I do not want an annulment. I chose you for my wife, and I want us to stay married.”

  Aaron sighed with disappointment. This was not what he expected on his wedding day. He softened his voice. “We need to live for a month, Andrea. Let’s go back to my folk’s place and pick up a few supplies and food for right now. Will you at least take my arm while we walk there?”

  Andrea nodded and reached for his offered forearm. In silence started back towards town.

  As they turned the corner on Main Street, Andrea looked up to see two men in front of the closed door of the mercantile, the one pacing back and forth with determined steps. Andrea froze in her tracks as her eyes widened in terror. Her breathing began to heave and her body began to shake.

  Puzzled, Aaron stopped next to his wife with a frown on his face. He looked at the men Andrea stared at, and then back at her. “Andrea, do you know those men?”

  At that moment, the older man who had been pacing looked up and spotted Andrea. He started towards her, his voice raised. “Andrea Dalton, I’ve been looking for you. How dare you take off and leave me high and dry like you did? I’m taking you home.”

  “The one is my pa and the other is a man who works for him named Red.”

  “Your father? He’s talking about taking you back. Didn’t he know you signed up to be a bride?”

  “No. I ran away. I had to. Please, Aaron, I beg of you. Don’t let him take me back. I know you don’t owe me anything, especially after what I just said to you, but I can’t go back to the ranch. I just can’t.”

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  CHAPTER 12

  ~o0o~

  Aaron took a deep breath. He took Andrea by the hand and walked towards the man who stopped to wait for them to approach. He had no idea what he would be dealing with facing Andrea’s obviously angry father, but he would protect her, no matter what it took. Under no circumstances would he allow this man take his wife away from him.

  Once the pair were within three feet of Lewis Dalton, Andrea’s father reached to grab her arm. Aaron reacted with greater speed, pushing Andrea behind him. He folded his arms and widened his stance, making it clear by his body language that the man would have to go through him to get to his daughter. “Andrea is not going with you, Mr. Dalton. She and I are married now. She’s staying with me.”

  “Married!”

  Desi stepped out of the door and stood with her arms folded, a scowl on her face. Behind her, Simon stood with the shotgun he kept behind the store counter for
security cradled in his arms. Desi called out in a no-nonsense tone. “Aaron, invite the gentlemen into the store. Let’s get this out of the middle of the public street.”

  “You heard her. If you want to talk about this, Mr. Dalton, let’s go inside my parents’ store. Otherwise, leave.”

  “I’m not talking about anything. I’m taking my daughter and getting out of this two-bit mining town.”

  Lewis Dalton once again reached towards Andrea, who shrank away from him. Aaron blocked his arm. When Dalton reached down to grab his pistol, Aaron’s fist shot out with a punch to the older man’s chin that threw him off balance. With his other hand, Aaron jerked the revolver from the holster and pointed the gun at the man he realized was his father-in-law.

  “Like my mother said, let’s step inside the mercantile and talk about this in private.”

  Realizing he faced a younger man who knew how to hold his own, not to mention he held his gun, Lewis growled a reluctant assent. “All right. We’ll go in and talk. But this isn’t going to take all day. I’ve got a ranch to get back to and we need to be on our way.” He turned and strode towards the store.

  As he stepped back onto the boardwalk, the man named Red with bright orange hair and a face covered with freckles hesitantly spoke up. “Uh…Boss, this sounds like family business. I’m going to wait outside, maybe mosey over to the park and see if there’s anything left to eat.”

  “Go get you some victuals as long as you can carry it in your hands, then get yourself back here. When I’m ready to go, I don’t want to have to chase you down.”

  Desi waved the men inside, stepping between the men and Andrea. Inside, Simon stood to the side on guard, his face somber. Desi pulled Andrea behind the counter to provide a barrier between them and Andrea’s father.

  Lewis Dalton turned and pointed a finger at his daughter. “Andrea, I don’t know what you were thinking taking off like that. Your work at home isn’t getting done by itself. Now get out of that whore’s dress and get your things. It’s time for you to come home.”

  Indignant, Desi sputtered. “Whore’s dress! I’ll have you know this is a very expensive and stylish outfit owned by someone from the highest realms of society. This was loaned to Andrea to wear for her wedding.”

  Furious with the man for the way he spoke to Andrea, Aaron barely managed to be civil. “Andrea and I are married now. Her place is with me.”

  “The marriage is no good. Andrea does not have my permission to marry. She’s not of age.”

  “I’m of age.”

  “I say you aren’t of age, and that means you aren’t of age.”

  “I’m twenty-two, Pa. My birth was recorded in Ma’s Bible. I don’t need your permission to marry. I’ll show you if you don’t believe me.”

  Lewis puffed up and grew red in the face. “You stole the Bible?”

  Flabbergasted, Andrea shook her head. “No. It’s mine. Ma gave it to me before she passed. She said it’s traditional that the Bible goes to the youngest daughter. That’s how she got it.”

  “You being the youngest daughter is exactly why you need get back home where you belong. You’re supposed to take care of your parents, not go off getting married.”

  Desi gasped in response. “Why you no good, ornery, wretched old goat! It’s one thing for a daughter to stay behind to care for ailing parents who can’t manage for themselves. You look able-bodied to me. She has no obligation or duty to give up her life to be your slave.”

  “She’s no slave. She has a duty to the ranch like everyone else, and she needs to go back and do her part.”

  “No. She stays with me. I’m starting to understand why she left.” Everyone turned to Aaron.

  Lewis became more emphatic. “She left because she didn’t want to do her share of the work. I’ve got Lloyd McCreary back at the ranch keeping things going and no one to cook for my men and take care of the cow and chickens because my youngest daughter turned her back on her obligations.”

  At the mention of Lloyd McCreary’s name, Andrea clutched her middle and emphatically shook her head. “No. Even if I weren’t married, Pa, I would never go back to the ranch, especially not with Lloyd McCreary there. He’s been trying to make it so I’ll marry him, and I can’t bear to be anywhere near him.”

  Lewis eyed his daughter with suspicion. “What do you mean, he’s been trying to make it so you’ll marry him. I told you I didn’t want you to marry. Were you going against my wishes and encouraging him, Andrea?”

  “No!” Tears began to choke Andrea’s throat. “I’d rather die than be married to Lloyd McCreary.”

  “Stop the melodrama, Andrea. I don’t hold with you talking bad about a good man. I rely on him.”

  “He’s not a good man! He’s mean, Pa. I had to get away.”

  Lewis stepped towards the counter and reached for his daughter. “Andrea…”

  Andrea threw up her hands in defense and screamed. “No! Don’t touch me! I’ll never let Lloyd touch me again. Never!”

  Aaron stepped forward and shoved Lewis Dalton away from the counter and raised the gun when the man started to protest. “Ma, get her upstairs. This has got to stop. She’s not going anywhere.”

  Aaron wasn’t sure what was upsetting his wife so much, but he suspected it had something to do with some man named Lloyd McCreary. He already knew enough about Andrea to realize she had not left home because she was not willing to work. He struggled to hold himself together as the sounds of his wife sobbing and screaming intermingled with his mother’s soothing assurances filtered through the door of their living quarters and down the stairs.

  Someone tapped on the window. Simon went to the front door and told the person to come back later.

  “I want to talk to me daughter. I need to get this settled so we can get on our way.”

  Simon spoke up. “You’ll have to wait. My wife will decide what’s best.”

  Several minutes passed before it grew silent upstairs. Soon they heard one set of footsteps descend the stairs. Desi entered the room. Alone. Aaron had seen his mother angry before, but nothing like the fury that infused her face as she rejoined them.

  Fire shot from Desi’s eyes as she glared at Lewis Dalton. “This Lloyd McCreary. Are you aware he’s been raping your daughter?”

  Simon stepped closer to Aaron as he watched the blood drain from his son’s face. Aaron held his place, his face expressionless except for a tightening of his jaw.

  Dalton jerked his head back and stared at her in disbelief. “She’s lying.”

  No, she’s too upset to be lying. He hasn’t been courting her—he’s been forcing himself on her, trying to get her with child so you’ll have to let her marry him. What kind of father would let one of his men do that to his daughter?”

  “That’s crazy. Why would he do that?”

  “He wants your ranch. He figures with your son dead and your other daughter nowhere around, he’d get the place when Andrea inherits. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it? If a man wants your ranch so bad he’d treat your daughter that way, I wonder if he would be patient enough to let you die of natural causes.”

  Lewis narrowed his eyes as he glared at Desi. “I’m not taking her word for it. Yours either. If there’s been something going on, Red will know about it.” He spun on the ball of his foot and walked towards the door.

  “Mr. Dalton!” Desi’s commanding voice halted him. “If you have a shred of decency in you—if even one hair on your head cares for your daughter, do not discuss what this man Lloyd McCreary did to her. You do, it will be repeated to all your men, end up being joked and talked about around your town and become the source of speculation about the extent of her willingness to submit to this man. Do not do this to your daughter!”

  Lewis turned and studied Desi’s face for several seconds. Then, without a word, he walked out of the mercantile, slamming the door behind him.

  After he left, Aaron turned to his mother. “Did she say, is she pregnant?”

  “She do
esn’t know, and it’s eating her alive. She says this wretch of a man came after her twice since her last cycle. She won’t know until later this week when she’s due whether or not she’s carrying that man’s child.”

  Aaron turned away and stared at the door through which Andrea’s father had exited. As his mind began to put together all that had come out in the open, he began to understand why Andrea claimed she was not good enough for him. Although he didn’t agree, he could somewhat understand why she didn’t want to continue with the marriage.

  Aaron knew if this Lloyd McCreary who had done this to her were to cross his path at that moment, it would be all he could do to not put an end the man’s miserable life.

  ~o0o~

  Lewis Dalton stepped outside the mercantile and took a deep breath. Of all the things he had anticipated on his trip up to reclaim his daughter, this accusation against Lloyd McCreary was not one of them. He looked to his right and saw Red slouched in the bench in front of the mercantile window, a half-eaten roll holding a thick slice of ham in one hand and another whole one like it in the other.

  Red swallowed the bite he was chewing and held the uneaten ham sandwich out to Lewis. “Want it, Boss?”

  “No. Not hungry.” Dalton looked around at the people milling on the boardwalk, waiting for the mercantile to open for business. “Let’s walk. Need to ask you something.”

  Surprised, Red rose to his feet and followed Dalton. “Sure, Boss.”

  Once they were far enough away to not be overheard, Lewis turned to Red. “You ever hear Lloyd talk about getting his own place and running his own spread?”

  Uncomfortable with the question, Red glanced at his boss. “Sort of. He says he likes your place, wouldn’t mind having one like it someday.”

  “He ever talk about showing an interest in my daughter?”

  “He talked about maybe courting her sometime, maybe in the future. But he wasn’t walking out with her as far as I know. I never seen any sign there was any sparking going on between them.”