Mail Order Brides of Hope Springs Three Book Boxed Set: A Clean Historical Mail Order Bride Romance

by Trinity Bellingham

  Emmaline turned on Ingrid. "What are you doing in my kitchen? Make yourself useful and take my trunk upstairs." The tirade was directed at Ingrid.

  "I am employed by Mr Larson to work in the store and..." She was cut off from finishing.

  "Well then, perhaps you might like to get out in the store then instead of taking over my kitchen and hurry up with my trunk."

  "Ingrid is employed by me Emmaline and she is preparing baked goods for the store tomorrow. She will not be available to run around after you. As far as I am concerned, you forfeited all rights in my household when you left it to follow the Reverent J.T. Miller. You may sleep here in the guest room should you choose to do so and if you work, you will be paid. Other than that, I want nothing to do with you and the sooner you find yourself another fancy man, the better. Goodnight."

  The string of vitriol Emmaline unleashed was astonishing in its creativity and intensity. Her screaming attracted attention and it wasn't too long before the Sheriff came to investigate the disturbance. Jake came in via the back entrance and soon had the situation sized up.

  "Back again Emmaline? Now you'll need to keep the noise down unless you want to spend the night in a jail cell with Jim Olson. I expect a lady such as yourself wouldn't want to do that. "

  If it was possible for Emmaline to become more enraged, she did, but thought twice before unleashing her rabid tongue on the Sheriff.

  "Thanks for stopping by Jake. Emmaline's just returned and I laid out a few rules to make her stay here more pleasant for everyone. I believe she understands how things will be."

  "Well in that case, I wish you all a good night. Ingrid, I don't suppose I could take a couple of those baby pies with me. They'd go right nice with a cup of coffee with Millie."

  Emmaline was ignored and forgotten.

  "Sheriff, it would be a pleasure. I'll just wrap them in a cloth for you and please give my regards to Millie.

  "I'll do that. Night now folks."

  As Harald and Ingrid waved him goodbye, Emmaline, face furious and sharp, retrieved her trunk, dragged it inside and up the stairs to the guest room. The door slammed behind her.

  "Ignore her Ingrid. The Sheriff will deal with her if she becomes unmanageable. In any case, I can't imagine her staying long. Now I will walk you back to the hotel. You look about done in. Wrap some of these pies for Emma too. If they prove popular, we might need to make some more tomorrow. I'll make sure the storeroom is stocked with extra dry goods tomorrow and order in anything else we need to keep us going for a while. Christmas is beautiful but the snow can slow up our supplies."

  As they walked to the hotel, Ingrid could not help but reflect on the woman Harald had married. She truly was dreadful and couldn't help but wonder how someone so beautiful could behave so badly. Tonight she would sink into her bed and rest, ready for another big day on the morrow. As she slowly fell asleep, she thought to speak with Pastor Jeremy about organizing something for the children. Perhaps some Carol singing with baby fruit pies to take home afterward for a treat. She could wrap them in little paper packets and tie them off with pretty ribbon...

  ~#~#~#~

  The following day was the court case and the Judge was staying at the hotel in the room Emma kept aside for him. He wasn't expecting the business to take too long and after breakfast, headed over to the tiny court house located beside the Sheriff's Office. Jeb Garret, the lawyer, was with the Sheriff finalizing the paperwork. As far as he could see, there were no holes in the case for the prosecution and the two men were quietly confident they could look forward to shutting down the rogue saloon as well as incarcerating its proprietor and his henchman.

  One thing was sure. Prison in Texas wasn't a picnic, winter or summer and the feeling around town was that Jim Olson and company should be locked up for ever. Court was scheduled for ten o'clock, an hour or so away and Jake wanted to make sure Hetty and Sophie were ready to testify and answer any questions the judge might send their way. What mattered was that the victims received justice and the brothel come saloon, closed down forever.

  The morning dragged on as the prosecution presented their case and the witnesses stated what had happened to them. The Doctor was called to verify the injuries sustained by the women and just when it looked as though they were done, the Judge spoke.

  "I'm happy with the evidence regarding the assault charges against Jim Olson, however, I will need more if I'm to close his place down."

  Abigail, who had come to support Hetty and Sophie stood up. "I will testify."

  "Abby, no. You've been through enough," cautioned her husband.

  The Judge continued. "If you have anything extra to add, I would be glad to hear it, particularly if it relates to trading in underage girls."

  "I will testify," she said again.

  Abigail stood tall and walked to the witness stand where she was sworn in.

  Jeb gave her an encouraging smile and started to question her.

  "How old were you when you were incarcerated by Jim Olson?

  " I was twelve years old."

  "How did you come to be there?"

  "My father sold me to Jim for five dollars, in payment for a gambling debt."

  "What did you do while you were there?"

  "At first I helped in the kitchen and did other chores like cleaning and washing."

  "At what age did you commence servicing customers for Jim Olson?"

  " I was thirteen, almost fourteen when he put me to work in that particular capacity. He had lots of customers who liked their girls young."

  "Did you ever try to leave his establishment?"

  "Yes. I ran away at least twice a year until I was finally rescued by the man I am now married to."

  "What happened after you were caught running away?"

  "I was taken back and beaten like Hetty, here." She pointed at Hetty.

  "Who delivered the beatings?"

  "The two men sitting right there." She pointed at the prisoners in the dock. Jim generally beat me when I got back because he couldn't run fast enough to catch and beat me. The henchman did that. It didn't much matter who did it after a while. They enjoyed beating us and the other women were always made to attend to their needs afterward because they were so worked up."

  The Judge intervened. "How old are you now Mrs St John?"

  "I'm seventeen."

  "So you are telling me that you spent five years as the prisoner of this man, held against your will, pressed into providing services of the most base kind and regularly beaten by the two of them?"

  "Yes."

  "And did you know Sophie during your time there?"

  "Yes. She came about a year before I left. I believe my last escape attempt gave many of the girls hope for their own escapes."

  "And no one in the town knew this was going on? That's what I find hard to believe."

  "We were locked away. No one knew we were there except for Jim's clients and us, the girls. You must understand sir, that the good citizens of Hope Springs do not associate with ladies of the night. There was no way they could have known."

  "And what about the doctor? Did he not attend to your injuries? He must have known."

  The doctor took the floor.

  "Abigail speaks true. I was never called to attend to any of the girls. Indeed, the first I knew about Abigail was when I was called to attend the parsonage on the day the new Pastor arrived. He rescued Abigail of course and sent for medical attention. I believe he took a few licks of the whip himself while protecting Abigail and taking her to the parsonage."

  "I believe I've heard enough, except for what happened to injured and sick girls when they received no medical attention."

  The doctor sat down and Abigail continued. "Sir, they either recovered or they died and who knows where they were buried."

  "To your knowledge, how many girls died during your time in that unhappy establishment?

  "I believe there was one girl at least, every year while I was there, but there could have more I di
dn't know about."

  The Judge turned to the two prisoners. "In my book, that is five murders for which you were responsible Mr Olson with the man beside you an accessory to those murders. What do you have to say about this? Is it as far fetched as I'm led to believe?"

  It was big Jim Olson who spoke. "Well I could tell you it's a load of bull and then you'd have to decide whether or not to believe me."

  "Mr Olson. The evidence presented to me here today speaks volumes. You have nothing to say in your defense, while the evidence presented here indicates that these women are telling the truth, unlikely as it seems.The onus is on you to present evidence to refute that of the prosecution, however I can't think of a lawyer who would take your case because it is so shaky."

  He cleared his throat and continued. "I'm giving leave for the Sheriff, Jake Benson to close your premises Mr Olson, due to your conducting illegal activities there relating to deprivation of liberty. You and the gentleman sitting beside you are also to be held over for transportation to Huntsville State Prison Texas, as soon as transport can be arranged to take you there. Furthermore, anyone else involved in these activities, who is apprehended by the Sheriff, can also look forward to the same fate. I am sentencing you Jim Olson to be hanged by the neck until you are dead and your companion may look forward to twenty years imprisonment. May God have mercy on your souls."

  The prisoners in the dock began yelling out for mercy but Sheriff Benson and his deputy had them out the door and back into his jail house right away.

  Abigale, Hetty and Sophie stood for the departure of the Judge. "You women did the right thing and you are all to be commended for your bravery in coming here today to testify. I wish you all well for the future. Now I need my lunch and a stiff drink after that. Goodbye."

  It didn't take long for the news to find its way all around Hope Springs and while the good citizens celebrated, Emmaline watched closely from the guest room window of Harald's house, watching and planning her next move.

  ~#~#~#~

  Chapter Seven

  Emmaline slept late on Wednesday morning, after drinking the better part of a bottle of whiskey. She didn't know about the court case today, but had she known about it, would have tried to help her friend Jim Olson. He was a bear of a man and not really her type but he had money and knew people who could help her.

  As things turned out, she missed all the drama and by the time she had repaired her face and dressed, it was coming on for lunch time. Her head was pounding and she was cranky, more so than usual. She would have to empty her own chamber pot as well. Life was definitely not looking good at the moment and she almost exploded with rage when she saw Harald and Ingrid chattering away in Norwegian. They always stopped of course when a customer appeared and switched back to English.

  Of course, the store keeper and his helper had been up and working since dawn and as always, busy in the mercantile. The morning hadn't been too hectic because most of the town's residents were down at the courthouse to support the young women as they testified against Jim Olson. The lull would soon be over though and the store overflowing with customers once again.

  Harald and Ingrid were too busy to notice a furious Emmaline, brimming over with jealousy at being excluded from the Norwegian conversation.

  "What is that nonsense you two are speaking? Can you not see that I am now awake and want a cup of tea. What sort of employee are you who can't have a cup of tea and toast waiting for me when I come down."

  "Emmaline, is that you carrying on? Can't you see that Ingrid is run off her feet and has been working flat out since dawn I shouldn't wonder?" This was spoken by a customer who'd just walked into the shop. "Go and make your own breakfast Emmaline, but if you've looked at a clock anytime recently, breakfast was hours ago. Honestly, I don't know why you came back. You are not the right sort of person to live out here."

  There was a mumbled consensus from other customers who had also just come into the store.

  "Go to hell!" shouted Emmaline from in the kitchen.

  "Don't mind her," said Harald. I can't imagine she'll be here for long.

  "I hope you have plenty of pies and bread tomorrow because my wife wants to stock up for Christmas. She's made some of her own but thinks Ingrid's pies and cakes are the best she's ever eaten. So we buy them, and instead of saving them up for Christmas, we eat them because they taste so good."

  Harald, Ingrid and the customers all laughed. Shopping at the mercantile was a pleasant experience since Ingrid had worked there and no one wanted anything to do with Emmaline. They wished she would go back where she came from. Memories of what the store was like when Emmaline was there, the constant backbiting, bad tempers, airs and graces, weren't so far away that they couldn't remember how unpleasant it had been. They remembered alright and had nothing but good wishes for Harald and Ingrid. They were the kind of people the town needed. Not Emmaline.

  ~#~#~#~

  In the lull before lunch Ingrid decided to catch up on some baking chores, wanting to prepare the pastry for fruit mince pies as well as prepare the fruit. The little pies looked like being popular and she wanted to make some without brandy for the children's Christmas surprises. She decided to speak with the Pastor as soon as she could about her idea of having a special evening of Christmas singing with a small gift for all the children.

  In fact, if she could get some extra baking in, she thought it would be a kind gesture from the mercantile to give all the families a cake or a pie, just by a way of giving thanks for their patronage. She'd see what Harald thought about her ideas and if he agreed. For now though, she wanted to press on with the tiny fruit pies, but Emmaline was in the way.

  Not content to be up and about at a decent hour and helping in the store, she was lounging about in the kitchen, drinking tea and eating burnt toast. "No, I will not move. This is my kitchen and I will sit in it when I want to. Who do you think you are to ask me to move? Some little daughter of a sod buster? Well I have news for you. You are the one who is going to leave. You don't belong here and you are to leave immediately."

  Out in the store, the customers heard it all. Harald excused himself for a moment and went out back to the kitchen.

  "You are aware, are you not Emmaline, that we are situated in a mercantile? That means we sell things to the good citizens of Hope Springs. As well as serving our community, it is also my business and you will not stand in the way of that. You refuse to work while at the same time preventing Ingrid from working. She at least knows what work is and I couldn't be happier with what she does. It seems all you want to do is ruin my business. Well I won't have it for moment longer Emmaline. If you want to drink tea all day, go to your room and do it."

  Emmaline was enraged. "You supercilious little store keeper. How dare you speak to me like that. I am the daughter of an Earl. I do not work."

  "If you live here, you work to earn your keep and you do not prevent others from doing the same. We are in Texas not Merry England. I told you before you would be better off going back where you came from. Now go to your room and let us get on with the work the good Lord has given us."

  She rose, taking the tea. "You've not heard the last of this Harald. I am your wife and you have no right to treat me this way?"

  "No? Proper wives do not run off with Preachers and I believe the law grants me the right to treat you any way I choose. And that includes divorcing you for your conduct with the Reverend J.T Miller."

  "Keep your voice down. You haven't heard the last of this Harald Larson. Nobody treats me this way and gets away with it."

  Emmaline mounted the stairs and went to her room.

  The customers still in the shop began to clap, congratulating Harald on his stand against his wife. Ingrid though, was ashamed for Harald. It was beyond her understanding how anyone could treat a good man so badly. But he had stood up for her in front of his wife. Surely he had feelings for her to do that, especially with customers out in the store listening to every word. If nothing else, they were wi
tnesses to Emmaline's threats. Ingrid felt as though she was walking on air, she was so happy.

  Harald instinctively acted to protect Ingrid from his wife's vitriol and in that moment, realized what a perfect wife Ingrid would make. Wouldn't it be a happy miracle if he could have such a wonderful bride for Christmas. Technically, Ingrid would be a Mail Order Bride even though he himself had not done the writing to bring her here. That was down to Millie, who did the letter writing to convince her friend that Hope Springs was the perfect place to settle.

  While he was in a decisive mood, Harald decided to visit Jeb Garret sometime during the afternoon, to start divorce proceedings of his own against Emmaline.

  ~#~#~#~

  Jeb was preparing the paperwork for the closure of Big Jim Olson's saloon so that the Sheriff could enforce the Judge's order that very day. Word had spread quickly around town regarding the Judge's ruling and the town was in a celebratory mode. The news affected people in a variety of ways, not the least of whom were the girls still situated there. It appeared that a few of the older women wanted to stay on, while the young girls wanted to leave right away. Sheriff Benson had the unhappy task of trying to sort it out and Jeb wanted to have all the paperwork ready for him for when he was finally ready to act.

  Emmaline entered his office and for a moment Jeb thought she was going to do the right thing and file for divorce. However it proved to be wishful thinking.

  "Good afternoon Jeb," she crooned. "I heard about the outcome of the court case and wondered what is going to happen with the actual premises now it will be closed down. I ask because I have a notion to purchase the property and perhaps turn it into a boarding house. My father in England has sent me the funds with which to do so."

  "Good afternoon to you too Emmaline. As to your first question, I don't know as yet what will happen to the property, however there will be a decision about it by the close of business today. Secondly, your father may have given you money but legally it is Harald's to do with what he will. While he remains your husband, this will always be the case. Am I correct in assuming Harald does not know about these funds?"