by Jenna Brandt
Mark retrieved his carriage from home and ordered his driver to make haste. On the way to pick up his bride, he thought back to the letter he received from her. With no photograph and limited details about her life, he should have been skeptical of her correspondence. Something about her letter, however, resonated with him. He found himself returning to it over and over again. Within two days after receiving it, he was sending her back a telegraph with an offer of marriage.
He pulled it from his coat pocket and read through it again, determined to convince himself that he was doing the right thing.
Upon reading your advert, I wished to propose myself as a possible partner for your endeavors. Not only can I fulfill your requirements, but provide even more than you ask. With a petite frame of 5 foot, fair complexion, and dark hair and eyes, I think you will find my appearance pleasing. I’m musically inclined, playing both the piano and the harp for over a decade. Additionally, I’m a skilled dancer and equestrienne, devoted to my faith in Christ, and fond of helping others whenever possible.
Widowed after only a year of marriage to a rather rotten man, I find myself wanting to find a husband worthy of giving the rest of my life to. I wish to be with a sober man, incapable of a wandering eye, as my last husband broke my heart with every breath he took. When I realized there was no future for me in Russia, I came to America, hoping to establish a new life for myself. I hope to one day have children to dote on, and plan to be an excellent mother, given the opportunity.
P.S. Here is a dreadful joke for you: Why is a dog like a tree? Because they both lose their bark once they’re dead.
Yours Truly,
Miriam Dobrow
With a nod of his head, the letter did its trick and reassured him he was making the right choice. A dark, foreign beauty with a playful sense of humor was exactly what he needed, harkening back to his memories of the Russian governess who had been like a second mother to him.
The carriage pulled to a stop at the train depot and his driver opened the door for him. “We’ve arrived, Mr. Bennett. I’ll be waiting. Just send the porter along with the baggage.”
“Will do, Hucksley,” Mark said as he climbed down. He made his way over to the wooden platform just as the train pulled up. He let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he got there before his bride.
Anxiously, he watched as people exited from the cars. About five minutes into the unloading of the passengers, an attractive brunette in a blue day-dress floated down the metal steps. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and he immediately found himself drawn towards the gorgeous woman. The closer he got, the more intoxicating her allure became, making him giddy with the thought she might be his soon-to-be wife.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but do you happen to be Miriam Dobrow?”
The woman’s head swiveled to the side, her gorgeous chocolate eyes settling on him. As he stared into them, he noticed that they had a touch of auburn in them that matched the sun-kissed streaks in her hair.
“I am Miriam Dobrow,” the women stated with a small smile. “Are you Mr. Mark Bennett?”
“Yes, Mrs. Dobrow, I am indeed your intended husband.” He gave a slight bow of his head. “Pleased to meet you, and since we’re getting married, I think you can call me Mark.”
She gave a nod in return. “Then you should address me as Miriam.”
He could tell she wasn’t sure what to do next as she shifted her tapestry bag from one hand to the other.
“Here, let me take that for you,” he offered, reaching out. “I’ll have the porter grab your other luggage and have it delivered to my waiting carriage.”
“That won’t be necessary. This is all I brought with me.”
Mark glanced down at the small bag that now rested in his hand. This was all she had? He knew she left Russia to come to America under less than ideal circumstances, but he had no idea she’d left with so little. Even a widow would have had some sentimental trinkets and clothing she would have wanted to bring along, wouldn’t she? What could have happened to her to spur such a departure?
Even though tons of questions rolled around in his head, he knew it wasn’t the time or place to ask them. He wanted his future wife to feel like she could trust him, and questioning her like a criminal would have the exact opposite result.
“Well, then there’s no need to wait any longer,” he stretched out his free arm, offering it to her. “Why don’t we head back to Little Ridge so we can get married.”
“Right now?” she sputtered out, her eyes widening with disbelief. “I was hoping we’d have some time to get to know one another first. Perhaps I could stay at a hotel for a few days.”
“I’m sorry to say, there isn’t much accommodations for guests as small as the town is, so to make sure it’s proper for you to stay with me, we have to be wed straight away.”
Miriam’s eyes fell to the ground as her body stiffened beside him. He could tell she was uncomfortable with his plans, but he knew it was the only way it was going to work. If his aunt found out that he was planning to marry a stranger, she’d find a way to stop it. This would only work if he married Miriam before any of his family knew.
“I understand your apprehension, but my home is plenty big enough for the both of us to live there without getting in each other’s way. I have several guest rooms for you to pick from, and four servants that live full-time in the home. You have nothing to worry about.”
His explanation seemed to ease the tension. She relaxed and let her eyes drift back up to meet his. “Thank you, I appreciate the lack of pressure you’re putting on me. I have to admit I’m not used to it.”
Her odd statement made him wonder what her life had been like back in Russia. Had her husband been an oppressive tyrant that ruled over her? Was that why she seemed so skittish with Mark? Was she not used to being around a kind and considerate man?
They reached the carriage and he helped her inside, then climbed in next to her. “I don’t know what your previous life was like, Miriam, but you’ll always be safe with me; I give you my word.”
On the ride back to Little Ridge, she didn’t speak. He wasn’t sure if it was because she was shy, or if she was hiding something. Either way, he had a hard time breaking the ice with the woman. Whenever he asked her a question, she gave the shortest possible answer, and never followed up with a question of her own. By the time they arrived in town, he knew as little about her as he did before. It should worry him, but somehow, he found it more intriguing than terrifying to be marrying a woman he hardly knew. He was always up for an adventure, and he had a feeling marrying Miriam Dobrow was going to prove to be the grandest feat of his entire life.
5
Miriam watched her fiancé from the corner of her eye as they made their way from the livery down Main Street. She hadn’t expected him to be nearly as handsome as he was. She’d just hoped that he wouldn’t be so ugly she found him repulsive, but when he approached her at the train station, she’d nearly lost her breath when she saw him. With his wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes, and sculpted face, he was strikingly handsome. His good looks were only enhanced by his tall, chiseled frame, causing her own petite frame to be magnified. It had been all she could do not to let her mouth fall open as she stared at him.
“Is there anything you need before the ceremony? Would you like to change into a different dress?” Mark asked from beside her.
She shook her head. “I only have one other, and this is the nicer of the two by far.” She hoped he didn’t press her for further information, and was relieved when he didn’t question her lack of belongings.
“Well, blue’s quite a lovely color on you. It reminds me of the deepest part of the river.”
“Thank you.” She smiled at him, pleased that he didn’t mention the fact that it was a simple dress made of cotton, and entirely plain for such an occasion as a wedding. She didn’t have much of a choice, considering her other gown was faded from age, and had a hole at the elbow. Paying to have it fixed was out of the
question, which left her to do the work. She’d planned on mending it herself once she had the know-how and supplies, but between her morning sickness and exhaustion from travels, she never was able to manage the chore.
As they moved down Main Street, she noticed people turned to stare with curious expressions on their faces. She wondered if it was because she was new to the town, or the fact that she was walking with her hand resting on Mark Bennett’s arm. It was a small town after all, with only a few stores and homes sprinkled along the dirt streets. She suspected it meant the residents knew everything happening around the place, and paid attention when something out of the ordinary was going on.
Mark opened the front door to the white wooden church, and gestured for her to enter. “Let’s get inside before someone works up the nerve to stop us and ask what’s going on.”
It confirmed that Mark was just as aware of the prying eyes as she was. She hurried into the small building and glanced around, not sure what to make of the place. Her family, as well as the imperial household, attended services at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, a building as opulent as it was grand. With bronze doors, marble and granite statues, and scores of paintings by Russian master artists, the cathedral was a far-cry from the minimalistic church that held no more than a dozen wooden pews, a simple altar at the front, and a handful of stained-glass windows to let in light.
Mark guided her down the aisle, where an average looking man with a kind smile waited for them. “Welcome, both of you,” he greeted as they came to stand in front of him.
“Thank you, Pastor Murphy. May I introduce my intended wife, Mrs. Miriam Dobrow.”
“Pleased to meet you.” The man gave her a nod, then turned his attention to Mark. “You mentioned that you wanted to get the ceremony underway as soon as you arrived, Mr. Bennett, but are you sure you don’t want your family here for such an important moment in your life?”
Mark waved off the other man. “No, this is a private matter, and I want to keep it that way. My family will just try to talk me out of it, and I’ve made up my mind.”
“It’s your choice, but I had to ask,” Pastor Murphy said with a frown. “I hope your uncle doesn’t run me out of town for going through with this.”
“I won’t let him,” Mark vowed. “He’s more bark than bite, anyhow.”
Miriam wondered what she’d gotten herself into. It sounded like her future husband’s family wasn’t going to be happy about their nuptials. Was she making the right choice by going through with this? She had enough problems of her own that she didn’t need to be adding to her list a hostile extended family.
Her hand fell to her belly, and she reminded herself, she didn’t have just herself to consider. She was terrified what would happen if anyone back in Russia found out about her condition. It was paramount that she made this situation work in order to provide a safe home for her unborn baby.
If this marriage was to happen though, shouldn’t she enter her marriage with no secrets between herself and her husband? She wanted to trust Mark and tell him of her condition, but all of the men she’d ever known had proven disloyal. Her uncle had sold her off to the imperial family to increase his own influence, and her husband had done nothing but repeatedly betray her. If she told her almost-husband about the baby, would he be different from the rest of the men she knew, and follow through with his pledge to her? She was scared to take the chance, but she knew she owed him the truth before he committed to her. She would hate for him to think she tricked him into marrying her, knowing that she was pregnant with another man’s child.
It was a rather big risk, as he could reject her on the spot, but Miriam was determined to do the right thing. She sucked in her breath and held it, pushing back her shoulders as she opened her mouth to tell Mark her secret. Before she could utter the words, however, a pretty young blonde woman with an angry scowl threw open the doors and marched inside.
Miriam’s eyes widened with shock as her mouth went dry. What on earth was going on? Who was this woman and why did she look like she was fit to be tied? Was she a jilted lover coming in to claim her right to Mark? And if so, did that mean Miriam was going to soon find herself without a groom?
6
“Mark Bennett, you better have a good excuse why you’re in here with that woman, in what looks like a wedding ceremony. I could barely believe my eyes when I saw you from across the street. I can’t believe you actually went through with it and ordered up a bride,” the blonde woman accused, moving towards him as she wagged a finger at him. “I thought you were joking about that when you mentioned it, but here you are, proving me a fool to think you had any common sense. You have no business promising your life to a complete stranger.”
“What’s the difference between this and what Aunt Claire wants me to do? The results would be the same; me married to a woman I don’t know. At least this way, I get to do the picking,” Mark countered.
Becca flipped her hair over her shoulder in annoyance. “Aunt Claire didn’t mean any harm by her matchmaking, and you know it. This is just your way of retaliating out of spite, but think about it, Mark, this isn’t something you can take back once you do it. It’s forever.”
“I know that,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest defensively as his eyes narrowed into slits. “And I don’t need my know-it-all sister sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“Don’t you dare act like I don’t have the right to be involved in your life. You sure didn’t have a problem telling me I shouldn’t take Garrett back after he returned home last year.”
“And I admit, I was wrong about that, just like you’re wrong about this.” Pulling Miriam towards him, he added, “If you can’t accept what I’m doing, you should leave. I don’t need you here.” A hurt look crossed his sister’s face, and he realized he’d crossed the line. She spun around and started to take off the way she came, but he hurried after her. Mark jumped in front of his sister, blocking her path. “I’m sorry, Becca, I didn’t mean that. After Mother and Father died, you were the whole world to me. Please don’t go.”
She looked up into his eyes skeptically. “You’re sure? You want me to stay?”
He nodded, reaching out to touch her arm. “Of course I want my only sister at my wedding, but you have to respect my decision. Do you think you can do that?”
She pressed her lips together and she slowly nodded her head. “I just want you to be happy, Mark.”
“I appreciate that, and I promise you, this is for the best. You’ll see.”
They both made their way back over to where Pastor Murphy and Miriam were watching them.
“Miriam, may I introduce you to my sister, Becca Casner.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Miriam said with a small smile. “I never had a sister; but am looking forward to that changing.”
“So am I; welcome to the family,” Becca gushed as she reached out and pulled the other woman towards her, who had a shocked look on her face as Becca did it.
Once Becca released Miriam, she moved over and took a seat in the front pew. Mark took Miriam’s hands in his own, then leaned forward and whispered for only his bride to hear, “Sorry about all of that. My sister can be a lot to handle, but she has the biggest heart of any person I know.”
Pastor Murphy started the ceremony. “We are gathered here today in sight of God to unite in the bonds of holy matrimony, Mark Bennett and Miriam Dobrow. Do you, Mark Bennett, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? From this day forward, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death does part you?”
“I do,” Mark promised.
“And do you, Miriam Dobrow, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? From this day forward, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death does part you?”
“I do,” she committed in return.
“Now, it’s time for the exchanging of the r
ings. Please take the rings you’ve selected and place them on each other’s fingers and repeat after me: ‘With this ring, I thee wed.’”
Both the bride and groom did as they were directed, slipping on the gold bands and repeating the promises.
“In so much as the two of you have consented together in holy wedlock before God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Mark leaned towards Miriam, pausing for a moment before deciding to kiss her on the cheek. He didn’t want to make his new wife uncomfortable by choosing the more intimate act of kissing her on the lips. He hoped in time that might come to pass, and was a patient enough man to give her the time she needed while he waited.
“Thank you for letting me be a part of this,” Becca said as she came up to them. “I can’t say it was how I expected to spend my afternoon, but you’ve always been one to keep me on my toes, Mark.” Turning to Miriam, she added, “You both have to come over for supper tomorrow night. I won’t spoil your big announcement and tell the family, but you should probably head out the back door of the church if you don’t want someone else to do it.”
Taking Becca’s advice, the newly wedded couple snuck out the back of the church and made the short walk over to Mark’s house on the edge of town.
When they entered his home, his robust, salt-and-pepper-haired head maid, Mary, rushed up and fussed over them, taking Miriam’s shawl and Mark’s top coat. “I had Tandy put all of your belongings away in the rose room, Mrs. Bennett. It’s by far the prettiest of the guest rooms and it overlooks the garden out back. I think it will be to your liking.”