by Nathan Adams
Instead of writing a lengthy reply that would take longer to reach him, Christina opted for a telegram. Although she thought it less romantic and appealing, she felt in a rush to let Frederick know that his intentions were more than welcome and that she would be glad to join him at his estate, whenever he deemed appropriate.
His reply, also by telegram, arrived shortly afterward and instructed her to pack everything that she thought was necessary for her indefinite stay at his mansion, at her new house. But she would also be provided with whatever it was that she would need. A carriage would be sent for her as soon as she could arrange her affairs.
Short and succinct, his telegram provided her with all the necessary instructions she needed. Excitedly, she managed to organize her affairs sooner than she thought she would, and finally, upon locking the doors to her family home for the last time, she found herself standing on the porch with a small suitcase in her right hand, the key in her left and numerous memories flooding her soul.
She was closing one chapter of her life and opening another. With a bitter sweet pain, she took one last look at her house, took a deep breath, said goodbye to them all—the house, her father, the porch—but not the memories, and turned toward the waiting carriage that would take her away to her new life with a sweet man named Frederick Howard Fitzpatrick.
The journey took longer than she expected, but she didn’t mind. It gave her enough time to gather her thoughts, calm down and prepare for the biggest rendezvous of her life.
Upon her arrival, she saw a man with two children waiting in front of a massive mansion with a beautifully decorated garden to the side. All three were immaculately dressed, and before she even exited the carriage, she felt a little embarrassed about her slightly shabby dress that seemed to be at odds with their impeccable clothes.
She put on her hat—the nicest one she had—with a small, delicate flower on the right side, adorned by a small white ribbon that kept it firmly attached to her head. She felt the need to smile, but she wasn’t sure if that was the appropriate demeanor for this occasion.
When she finally gathered the courage to exit the carriage, Frederick was right there to offer his hand.
“My dear Christina,” his voice was deep, reassuring. “We, my children and I, are so happy and grateful that you have finally arrived.” He smiled earnestly, and she returned the gesture. She gazed into his eyes, and they reminded her of her father’s: deep and trustworthy. That was how one knew if someone was a good person or not. Frederick was. She was certain of it.
She turned to his children, who were dutifully standing there like little soldiers waiting for further instructions.
“Angelina, William, say hello to Miss Christina Rose Hubbard.”
“Hello!” Both children greeted her in unison, sharing their father’s enthusiasm regarding her arrival. She wanted to give them a hug but again wasn’t sure if that would be appropriate at this moment. Fortunately, William seemed to have read her mind and jumped into her arms, without thinking. This caught Frederick off guard.
“William!” He scolded him, gently. The boy looked at his father and then at Christina, who had already wrapped her arms around him.
“I beg your forgiveness for this boldness, Miss Christina,” William said.
Christina couldn’t help but smile as she released him from her grasp.
“It’s perfectly all right, William.”
All the while, Angelina was standing to the side, unwilling to take part but at the same time intrigued by what was happening around her. She also seemed eager to address Christina and ask a few questions of her own but opted against it after seeing her father’s reaction to William’s outburst of emotion.
“All right now, let us go back to the house. I’m certain that Christina is very tired, for she has taken a long journey to come and be here with us, so we mustn’t disturb her until she is well rested again.”
Taking her suitcase gallantly with one hand and offering his other hand to Christina, the four went back to the house in contented silence.
Shortly afterwards dinner was served, and Christina enjoyed herself immensely. The children were extremely talkative, unabashed at sharing personal stories, and Frederick even allowed William to give Christina another quick hug upon seeing her descend the stairs for dinner.
The atmosphere that reined in the Fitzpatrick household was one that hadn’t been felt for a long time. It was as if the entire family was reunited again, and everyone finally felt complete, safe and home.
After dinner, Christina was asked to play the piano, and she did so wonderfully, enticing her newfound audience to applaud her impressively upon finishing. Finally, they gathered around the fire and read stories until both children were soundly asleep and Frederick had to take them to their beds.
Once he put the two of them to sleep, he escorted Christina to her room and remained respectfully outside the door as he bid her good night.
“Frederick, I don’t know what to say.” Lit by the gentle flicker of the candle he was carrying, Christina smiled at him. “You have been so kind to me, kinder than I ever thought anyone could be to me.” A note of sadness pervaded her voice, and she felt she was on the verge of tears.
“There, there, sweet one.” Frederick caressed her cheek, softly. “You have brought back the sunshine to our lives, and it is us who shall be eternally grateful to you for abandoning everything you knew, your entire life, to come to us here to a new place with people you know little about.”
They smiled at each other in the dark. Her heart raced as she gazed into his eyes, and she knew right then and there, if she hadn’t loved him before, she loved him now. All would be well again. She would be happy and content in this house, taking care of this sweet family that had opened their doors to her.
“It’s getting late. I had better go to bed,” she whispered.
Frederick nodded. Bidding her goodnight, he turned toward the other side of the long corridor and disappeared into the darkness. Christina entered her room, quickly changed into her nightgown and cuddled up in bed. She thought she would find it strange to sleep in an unfamiliar bed for the first time, but everything was perfect. There was not one thing that did not strike her as pleasant or satisfactory, and she found herself thanking God Almighty for giving her such a blessing as this one.
As she was lying in bed, just before she fell asleep, a horrible thought came to her. What if somehow, someday, Frederick found out about what she had done to try and save her father’s life? Would he hate her? Would he understand? Or would he banish her from his house and from his heart?
She dared not think about this—not now that she was finally happy, that her life finally had meaning again. It wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t happen. Not now. Not now. Not now.
And with these thoughts, she fell asleep dreaming of her wedding day with Frederick and how happy all four of them would be as a family.
Chapter Five
As days passed by, Christina proved to be an invaluable part of the Fitzgerald household. She helped with the housework as well as the cooking, though Frederick kept telling her there was no need for that, and she was actually taking Mrs. Smith’s work from her. But even Mrs. Smith welcomed the help because that meant she could finish work somewhat earlier and join her family for dinner more frequently, which made her very happy and grateful to Christina.
The gardener felt the same way about her. Christina seemed to have a green thumb and enjoyed working in the garden immensely, whether it was tending to the roses or simply clearing out the weeds. Whatever she took upon herself was a success, and it was soon that the entire household found her a precious addition they simply couldn’t do without anymore.
Upon realizing this, Frederick was finally completely reassured that he had made the right choice, though he knew this even before that.
One afternoon as Christina was taking a walk with William and Angelina through the town streets, she noticed a very striking man standing outside the saloon.
She knew he was the sheriff. She didn’t need to see his badge to know as much. Ever since she had done that horrible deed, she learned how to distinguish men of the law from others and how to stay away from them, if possible.
She grabbed the children by the hand and quickly turned around to go back the way she had come, but it was too late. The sheriff was yelling after them.
“Miss Hubbard! Miss Hubbard, is it?” She couldn’t pretend that she didn’t hear him. The children had already stopped, expecting her to do the same.
She turned around and managed to smile, nervously. “Yes?”
“Miss Hubbard, as the law enforcement of this here town, I’d like to welcome you officially and to say that we’re honored to have you amongst us.” He took off his hat solemnly, as he addressed her.
“That is very kind of you, sheriff. I also consider myself extremely fortunate and grateful to be here, with all you fine people.” Her brain was working hard, trying to think of a plausible reason to escape any further exchange of pleasantries with this man who could ruin everything for her if she wasn’t careful. “I beg your pardon, sheriff, but the children and I must rush off, for we are expected back home soon.”
The sheriff nodded in agreement, but something told her that he wasn’t convinced by her words. No matter. What was important was that she was able to evade further questionings, which could lead her onto slippery ground. Once she and the children were safely within the walls of the Fitzgerald mansion, she felt like she could breathe more easily.
Chapter Six
But, as it turned out, Christina’s troubles had just started. The sheriff thought he had recognized her from somewhere and sent a few telegrams to his county colleagues. After a few fruitful inquiries, he realized that he had a criminal on his hand and made a rushed effort to visit the Fitzgerald mansion as soon as possible. Having been ushered into Frederick’s home with all due respect, he was almost sorry that he had to ruin what appeared to be this poor man’s last chance at personal happiness.
“Frederick, I’ve come on an urgent matter that cannot wait, I’m afraid,” he told him. Frederick looked at him wonderingly.
“What is it, sheriff? You know that we have always been an upstanding family, and we always liked to help the hand of the law in this county, however we could.” Frederick smiled, though it was obvious he felt somewhat out of place having this unpleasant conversation.
“Well, the thing is it’s this future wife of yours.” The sheriff also seemed inconvenienced by this visit, but it was his job, and he needed to do it, friends or no friends.
“Christina?” Frederick was astonished. “What could the law possibly want with her? Is it something related to her late father’s estate? Because she assured me the entire affair was settled. But if it’s not, I would be more than happy to get involved and settle it myself. After all, as her future husband, I feel an obligation to.”
“No, no, it’s not that.” The sheriff interrupted him. “It’s something quite different, and truth be told, I myself am not sure how to go about it.”
“Well, do tell, sheriff, if it’s that important. I’m certain it’s nothing that we can’t handle.”
“Maybe it’s best if you call for her, and we all have a conversation together.”
Frederick felt a pang in his stomach. He didn’t want to inconvenience Christina. He just wanted the sheriff to tell him why he came. He was sure it was all a misunderstanding, and as soon as he found out, he would be able to sort it out without involving Christina at all. However, he knew better than to disagree with the sheriff, who was always a fair man and never asked for anything that wasn’t utterly necessary.
Once Christina joined them in the parlor, Frederick could immediately sense her fear at seeing the sheriff.
Could it be that she was really a criminal? He thought to himself. Could I really have been so blind?
“Miss Christina,” the sheriff addressed her politely. “I do apologize for the inconvenience, but I must ask you a few questions that you might find a little inadequate for a lady in your position. But, as you all know, the law is the law, and it doesn’t see social positions. In the eyes of the law, we are all equal.”
Suddenly, Christina started crying. Frederick jumped to her side and offered her his monogrammed handkerchief to dry off her tears.
“What is the matter, little one? Why are you crying?” Frederick was now more worried about her state of mind than the possibility of her being a wanted criminal. As for the sheriff, he had seen his fair share of female tears, and he wasn’t so easily led to believe everything a woman said or did. However, he allowed for this scene to continue without his interference.
“Oh, Frederick!” Christina’s cheeks were wetted by a waterfall of tears, gushing down. “I am so sorry to have done this to you. So terribly sorry.” She buried her face in his shoulder as he held her tight.
“There, there.” He tried to console her, though he had no idea what was happening and was hoping that either she or the sheriff would finally say something that would shed some light on this whole affair that was keeping him in the dark.
“You are a sweet man, Frederick Fitzgerald, and I was a silly thing thinking that I deserve someone as sweet and kind as yourself to take care of me and love me.” Her voice turned to a whisper. Then, she turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff, would you mind if I tell Frederick what it is I have done?” The sheriff nodded kindly. “Then you shall do with me as you see fit.”
She took a deep breath. The time had finally come for her to reveal her terrible secret, the one that had kept her from being truly happy all this time. Frederick was on the edge of his seat.
“By the time my father was sick with yellow jack, we were left penniless. We had no means of supporting ourselves, apart from the meager amount of money that we kept for a rainy day and some eggs and milk that our good neighbors used to bring to us. But that wasn’t enough to help him. You see, he needed medication, and at the time, I had no idea that it wouldn’t be of any help to him, but I had to try. I had to!” Her tears started gushing again. Frederick looked at her sympathetically.
“So, I devised a plan.” Her words turned colder. “I knew where the bank kept most of its money and when the guard change took place. The owner of the bank, Mr. Pritchard, was a longtime friend of my father’s, and I knew he wouldn’t refuse an encounter with me at any time of my choosing. So I timed my visit perfectly with him leaving me in his office right next to the small vault, which was, at this time, left unlocked and unattended due to the guard change. I had no idea what I was doing. I was more than certain I would get caught, but God help me, I didn’t. And I stole that money. All of it.”
The two men looked at her in bewilderment.
“I gave it all to those medical frauds who sold me potions and remedies that did nothing, and my father, God rest his soul, passed away soon afterwards.” She exhaled deeply. “You can imagine my disappointment, my disgust and repulsion at what I had done. I couldn’t live with myself. I don’t know how God will ever forgive me, and I suppose I do not deserve to be forgiven. I know I shall never forgive myself.” She bent down her head in humiliation, waiting for the wrath of the two men to fall down upon her.
But, what Frederick did next, surprised her.
“How much was it?” he simply asked the sheriff.
“A lot, Frederick,” the sheriff said.
“It doesn’t matter. Name the number, and I shall pay it. The bank shall have their money back, provided Christina’s name is left out of this entire sordid affair.”
“But, Frederick,” Christina started, only to be interrupted.
“Hush now. Let me take care of this. I am not letting the sunshine out of my house ever again.” He kissed her on the forehead and looked at the sheriff again.
“So tell them of my offer, sheriff. It’s either the person responsible for the robbery in jail or them getting their money back without the guilty party.” His voice was solemn and dignified.
&nb
sp; The sheriff rose.
“I’ll make sure to let them know. I wish you both a good day.” He lowered his hat as he said these words, and left the Fitzgerald home. Frederick knew that no bank owner would willingly choose to be left without his money, so it was only a matter of time before they agreed to his proposal.
In the meantime, he had a wedding to plan.
“Frederick, I don’t know what to tell you.” Christina was left speechless at this kind man’s generosity and willingness to forgive.
“Hush now, Christina. All is all right. I said I wanted to take care of you, and I meant it.” He took her by the hands. “Now that this whole dirty business is behind us, we have a wedding to organize, don’t we?” He smiled, and she returned his sweet gesture.
Chapter Seven
On Christmas day, Frederick and Christina were joined in holy matrimony, with the entire town present, even the sheriff who was smiling from the back rows. It was a day of merriment for all, as the two newlyweds promised to love and care for each other, till death do them part. Little William and Angelina finally got their Christmas wish to have a new mom, one who would love them as much as their mom who was now in Heaven. In the meantime, what they could do was remember her fondly and with love, as they turned over a new leaf in their lives, enjoying their newly found happily ever after as one big happy family.
THE END
Return to the TOC
Home at Last
Clean Western Mail Order Bride Romance
By: Claire Grace
Chapter One
Mary stood at the edge of her husband's grave wiping her eyes and staring down at the gravestone. She kneeled down slowly, gripping a few weeds and pulling them from the soft ground and tossing them to the side.
She came to his grave every day in order to talk to him. Jacob was her best friend and husband until the very end. Neither of them expected to marry each other, but the fates had different plans.