His Mail-Order Valentine (Holiday Mail Order Brides Book 10)

by Kit Morgan

  Ellie opened her eyes, looked at Julian and shook her head at him.

  He chuckled in response and continued to lead her around the kitchen floor, trying his best not to bump into Morgan and Daisy. They didn’t have a lot of room to work with.

  Ellie watched their feet to understand the pattern better, and soon was following him with ease. “I think I’ve got it now!”

  “I believe so,” he said. “Shall we try to learn another?”

  “No, not yet. Let me make sure I have this first.” She looked up at him. His face was so close she could smell the coffee on his breath. His eyes were on her lips, and she instinctively knew he wanted to kiss her.

  “There are several dances you should learn before Saturday. I can teach them all to you.” He leaned lower and whispered in her ear. “Or I can teach you at the dance. It would give me an excuse not to dance with anyone else.”

  Ellie felt her cheeks flush again. He was flirting with her, and she liked it. “I wouldn’t want to deprive anyone of your company.”

  “Like who? Mrs. Brock? I’m sure she knows how to dance already – she doesn’t need a lesson from me.”

  “I was thinking more of Bernice.”

  “Bernice? Why bring her up? I’m not taking Bernice to the dance, I’m taking you.”

  Relief filled Ellie in that moment. For some reason, she’d needed to hear him say it. She’d needed to know that he really did have eyes for her and her alone. “I do hope someone takes Bernice.”

  “Don’t worry about her – she’ll manage. I just heard that Jess Templeton will be in town. Smart as a whip, he is – enough to be able to take a couple of weeks off and come home to visit.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. At least then there will be some extra gentlemen around for other ladies to dance with.”

  Julian laughed. “Don’t worry, no one will be left out.”

  They practiced for the next hour and would’ve gone longer, but Betsy’s voice gave out. At one point Morgan’s parents joined in and sang along with Betsy, even danced a time or two. It was the most fun Ellie’d had in years, and now her excitement about the dance was unmixed with worry.

  “I think you need more practice before Saturday, don’t you?” Julian asked.

  Ellie watched as Daisy got Betsy a cup of coffee. “I suppose so. What do you suggest?”

  “How close are you to finishing your dress?”

  “Daisy said we’d sew on the lace tomorrow.”

  “Excellent. That gives us a few days of practice before Saturday. Professor Hamilton has been teaching anyone who wants to learn. Maybe we could work with him a couple of times.”

  She nodded her agreement. “All right.”

  “Good – I’ll speak with him and see if he can work us in after supper. I know Garrett and Ammy are taking lessons.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard them talking about it.”

  “Then it’s settled.” He lowered his head to hers, ignoring the fact that everyone was watching them now. “Until tomorrow.” He took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze, then turned to Betsy. “Ready?”

  “Not as ready as you are,” she smirked.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” He shot back.

  “You know what I mean, Mr. Julian. You’re as ready as they come.”

  Morgan burst out laughing. “I’ll agree with you on that one, Betsy.”

  “Me too!” Daisy added with a smile.

  Ellie and Julian looked at each other, then at the rest. Finally Julian shook his head in annoyance. “Oh for crying out loud, let’s go!” He stormed over to Betsy, pulled her up from her chair and turned her toward the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Morgan,” he said over her shoulder.

  “All right, see you then.”

  Ellie watched as they left, then turned to Daisy. “I should be going too.” She looked back at the door and wondered why Julian hadn’t offered to escort her back to the Brocks’. But Betsy was with him, and she was working – if one could call singing for the last hour work. Well, it probably was, it just didn’t have anything to do with working for the Vanders ...

  “I’ll walk you home,” said Morgan.

  “Thank you.”

  Morgan waited for her to put on her coat, then offered her his arm. “You can tell me all about Davey on the way. I want to know what it’s like to have a little boy,” he said as he smiled at Daisy. “With any luck, maybe we’ll have one soon.”

  Ellie smiled at them both. “They can be a handful. But I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”

  “I can’t wait to hear about him,” Morgan said, and smiled back.

  Ellie hooked her arm through Morgan’s, then wondered why Julian hadn’t asked her about Davey or shown as much interest as Morgan was now. Maybe the Tindles were wrong, and after the dance Julian would have no further interest in her. She sobered at the thought, before remembering Daisy’s words again. Julian Smythe’s fallen in love with you …

  Ellie held on to that statement like a lifeline.

  Sixteen

  Ellie kept pondering Julian’s lack of interest in her son. Morgan and Daisy continued to ask her questions. Even Garrett and Ammy joined in one evening at the bookshop as they gathered for a lesson with Professor Hamilton. She wasn’t sure if they asked about him because they were curious about parenting, or because she was trying to do everything on her own. Maybe they were trying to make her feel better about her situation

  Whatever the reason, talking of Davey made her miss him all the more, and she couldn’t wait to see him again. It also made her nervous. She didn’t want too many people finding out about Davey until after she’d had a chance to speak with the Vanders and the Brocks. Well, more accurately, until she took the chance to speak with them.

  “When will he arrive?” Ammy asked the night of their last lesson.

  “Next week, if my guess is right.”

  “After the dance we’ll talk with Mrs. Vander and Mrs. Brock,” Daisy said.

  “I’m sure they’ll be no problem,” added Ammy. “In fact, I’d love to help Mrs. Edmondson with him. We’ve decided to purchase the house on Chestnut Street. Garrett made up his mind. Davey wouldn’t be far from you at all if he was right here in town a few days a week.”

  “That’s very kind of you,” said Ellie. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you’ll let me,” pleaded Ammy. “Besides, Garrett would love it too. All he talks about is having children one day.”

  Ellie glanced at Julian, who was speaking with the Professor and Morgan in a corner of the bookshop. The lesson done, the men were discussing the dance itself. She was almost glad it would be over soon. When she wasn’t working at her regular duties, she was either helping Mrs. Brock make decorations or immersed in some other aspect of the upcoming event. She’d hardly slept the last few days and was exhausted.

  “Ellie? Did you hear what I said?” asked Daisy.

  Ellie turned her attention back to them. “What was that? I’m sorry, I guess I wasn’t listening.”

  “And I guess it’s because you’re staring at Julian,” Daisy said with a grin.

  Ellie smiled and looked away. “Oh yes, I suppose I was.”

  “I bet he can’t wait to meet Davey,” Ammy said.

  Ellie’s head shot up at the remark. She glanced at Julian, then back at the women. “I don’t know about that. He doesn’t seem very interested in my son.”

  “Trust me,” Daisy told her. “He’s interested.”

  Ellie moved closer to the other two women. “But he hasn’t even asked about him,” she whispered. “How can you be so sure?”

  Daisy smiled, and Ellie could tell she was keeping a secret. Finally she took a deep breath, as if to calm herself, and said, “just trust me. That’s all I ask – trust me. And trust Julian.”

  “Julian?” said Ellie. “Trust him to do what?”

  Daisy glanced at the men, who were still talking amongst themselves. “To follow his heart. I might say the same for you – d
on’t be afraid to follow yours.”

  Ellie’s eyes widened at her words, and she took a step back, her hand to her chest. Follow her heart? Was she serious? If she were to follow her heart right now she’d be flinging herself into Julian Smythe’s arms. But would he open them? Even if he opened them to her, would he open them to Davey? The boy had already spent the first four years of his life being ignored by his father. She didn’t need a repeat of that nor would she stand for one.

  She knew that before she let her heart get any closer to Julian’s, she’d have to know how he felt about her son. It was a hard thing to ask, as the man hadn’t met him yet, but it was still necessary. And if he wasn’t interested in her – or Davey – beyond the dance tomorrow night, she’d have to decide once and for all whether to stay in Independence or take her chances back to Oregon City. She wanted to stay, but it would be hard to live in the same town with Julian if he was with someone else …

  The real question was, should she risk her heart in order to find out? Or had she already?

  * * *

  “Land sakes, just look at you!” said Mrs. Brock. “Is this the same scrawny girl that got off the stage a few weeks ago?”

  Ellie smiled and smoothed the skirt of her dress as she admired her reflection in the mirror. “I can’t believe it’s me.”

  “Believe it – that Daisy Tindle is quite the seamstress. If she didn’t work in the mercantile, she’d be giving our local dressmaker some stiff competition. I might commission her to make me a frock or two.”

  Ellie turned to her. “It’s beautiful!”

  “You be sure to thank Julian Smythe for paying for the fabric. That was mighty kind of him.”

  Ellie sobered. “Yes, I know.”

  “Are you going to quit working for me once you’re married?”

  Ellie gaped at her. “What did you say?”

  Mrs. Brock put her hands on her hips. “I asked if you’re still going to work for me once you’re married! Anyone with eyes can see that man is in love with you.”

  Ellie’s jaw dropped. “What?!”

  “Come now, girl, you’re not that daft, are you?”

  “Mrs. Brock, how can you say such things?”

  “Because I have eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he proposed to you tonight.”

  “Proposed?!”

  “For Heaven’s sake, why wouldn’t he?”

  “But … well …”

  “Oh, forget I said anything,” Mrs. Brock admonished with a wave of her hand. “You can just find out for yourself. Now finish getting ready – the Smythes will be here any minute. I’m going to go make sure Mr. Brock is ready.” She left the room and disappeared down the hall.

  Ellie sat on the bed and sighed. She was tired, but determined to get through the night. They’d taken the decorations over to the Edmonsons’ barn earlier in the afternoon and decorated it. Julian had been there, along with the Vanders, Betsy and several families in the area that Ellie hadn’t met yet. She’d had fun, and it made her want to stay in Independence all the more.

  But she had to find out if everything she was hearing about Julian was true. It was one thing to hear it from other people, quite another to hear it from his own lips. Yes, he gazed at her, danced with her, stirred things in her heart that made her want to melt onto the floor. But he’d never once asked about Davey or given much indication that he wanted to see her beyond the dance. Yes, he had confessed that he wanted her to stay in Independence – but was that for his own convenience, so he could bide his time and decide whether or not he wanted to pursue her? Was he waiting for Davey to arrive to decide?

  She couldn’t really blame him if he was. She wasn’t some young, pristine virgin, untouched and unspoiled. She had a son, she’d been married, and unbeknownst to the kind people of Independence, she’d been abused. She’d promised herself she would never, ever marry a man who would treat her like that again. Perhaps she was the one that should be using caution, to ensure she didn’t make another mistake ...

  “Ellie! It’s time to go!” Mrs. Brock called up the stairs.

  Ellie stood took one last look at herself in the mirror, put on her coat, and headed down the stairs. She’d make it a point to watch Julian’s every move that night, listen closely to what he spoke, how he acted, really study him. What if he did suddenly ask her to marry him – what would she do? Blindly blurt out a yes? Insist they court? Was she convinced that Julian Smythe was the best choice of husband she had?

  You are his mail order bride, her common sense told her. You came out here to marry him!

  “Good heavens,” she whispered to herself as she went down the stairs. “I’d forgotten all about that.”

  “Forgot about what?” asked Mrs. Brock as she headed for the front door.

  “Nothing,” said Ellie as she watched her open it.

  Julian stood on the other side. “Good evening, ladies. Are you ready to go?”

  * * *

  The ride to the dance was filled with idle talk. Ellie didn’t say much at first – she was still getting over Julian picking her and the Brocks up in a funeral wagon! Julian did apologize for it several times before Mrs. Brock told him to stop it. They were used to seeing the Smythes use the wagon now and then for things other than carting cadavers. Currently the bodies in the back were those of Mr. and Mrs. Smythe and Mr. Brock; Mrs. Brock rode up front with Ellie and Julian.

  Halfway to the dance, the talk turned to Jess Templeton, whose arrival in town that day was garnering more speculation than anything else. Eunice Caulder was suggesting that he’d been kicked out of school, and so had to come home, as opposed to the Templetons’ story that he’d done so well in his studies, he was ahead of everyone else and could afford the time off. Most folks were inclined to believe his parents, as they of all people should know, but a few were publicly siding with Mrs. Caulder, if only to make their lives and the evening go more peacefully. The last thing any of them wanted was to have to listen to her gabbling about it all night, not to mention for weeks to come.

  Julian still didn’t ask about Davey, but that may have been because Mrs. Brock was sitting right there, and he knew she didn’t know about him yet. Ellie had hoped for at least a hint in that direction – say, whether she was expecting a visit from family or something of that nature. But no such luck.

  “Here we are!” Julian called out as he reined in the team and brought the wagon to a halt. He set the brake, hopped down, then proceeded to help everyone disembark.

  His hands were warm when they wrapped around Ellie’s waist, and she shivered despite the warm coat she wore. “Thank you,” she told him as her feet touched ground.

  He smiled at her in the dim light of several lanterns placed around the barnyard. “I haven’t told you how lovely you look tonight. Might I say that you look absolutely beautiful?”

  Ellie smiled at him. “You haven’t even seen my dress yet, it’s been covered by my coat.”

  “I can’t wait. Let’s hurry inside so I can do just that.” He placed a hand in the small of her back and gently guided her toward the barn.

  The night was cold, but she was sure with most of the townspeople inside, along with the dancing, they’d be warm enough. Julian ushered them all into the barn where they removed their coats, hats, scarves and whatnot, and waited for them to be taken by Mrs. Peatman. Mrs. Vander had set up a stall to use as a cloakroom, and Mrs. Peatman was in charge of it.

  Ellie sighed as she took in the sight of the barn, then realized that Julian was sighing at the sight of her. “You take my breath away,” he whispered. “You’re stunning in that dress.”

  She blushed head to toe. She knew she looked pretty that night, and wanted to impress him, but was overwhelmed that she’d succeeded.

  “Would you like something to drink?” he asked. “I see there’s a refreshment table.”

  “Of course there’s a refreshment table!” Mrs. Brock scolded him. “Who do you think worked on it?”

  “We all ended up wor
king on it,” Maude commented. “Let’s go taste the fruit of our labors, shall we?”

  Julian laughed at his mother’s remark, then held out his arm to Ellie. “Did you contribute as well?”

  “Well, I helped Mrs. Brock bake cookies early this morning. And we made pies yesterday.”

  “Do tell? I can’t wait to try some.”

  Ellie smiled and looked shyly away. She couldn’t stop her heart from fluttering, and it was all it could do not to reach out to him. But she couldn’t allow that to happen – yet. She couldn’t take the risk.

  Cecil and Betsy were behind the refreshment table serving. “Good evening!” greeted Cecil. “What’ll it be? We have punch, punch and more punch …”

  “Good grief! Look at all this food!” Julian said with delight.

  “Yes, we have that too,” commented Cecil. “Grand, isn’t it? Now, what can I get you?”

  Julian looked at Ellie. “What would you like?”

  Ellie hadn’t thought about food until now, but realized she was hungry. “My goodness, there’s so much of it I can’t decide.”

  As she and Julian stared at the food trying to figure out their choices, they noticed a growing silence around them. All the usual chatter had stopped. They both turned to see what had caught everyone’s attention – and gasped at the same time as many of the townsfolk.

  A young woman entered the barn with Professor Hamilton. She was … gorgeous!

  “Bernice?” croaked Julian.

  Ellie quickly glanced between Julian and Bernice, her eyes finally settling on the latter. She wore a deep blue dress trimmed with white lace, accented with long white gloves and a gold shawl. Her hair was pinned up in the latest fashion, with tiny white flowers woven into it. Ellie glanced at her pink calico, and realized it paled in comparison.

  “Good Lord! Is that Bernice?” asked Mrs. Brock.

  “Sure enough is,” Maude mumbled.

  “What… what happened to her?” Mr. Brock sputtered.

  Cecil chuckled behind them. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

  Ellie turned to him. “What is?”

  Cecil nodded at Bernice and the Professor as they headed their way. “What a little confidence can do.”