A Bride For Samuel

by Cyndi Raye

  She sat back down, placing the bottle on the table before picking up the coffee cup at the place setting. “I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to take that long,” she told him, smiling away as if she didn’t just speak a foreign language to a little man.

  “You speak Chinese?”

  “Why, yes, I do. I learned the language when my father and uncle were in California. I was a child then but we were surrounded by so many Chinese at the mines, I was fortunate to befriend a family who spoke broken English and were willing to teach me a thing or two.”

  “So, you are a miner’s daughter?”

  “Was. Those days are long gone. My father and uncle bought a ranch a few hours from here. Well, there’s the story I’m about to enlighten you with. But first, as a thank-you, we must try Mr. Wong’s Medicinal Wine.”

  “It’s a bit early don’t you think?” Samuel was all for a sip of wine now and again but mostly he took a slug from the whiskey bottle when they were playing cards in the barn. He never drank first thing in the morning.

  “If you take a look out the window you will see Mister and Misses Wong watching to make sure we accept their gift. They are thanking me for what I did for them. It would be rude of us not to taste their wine.”

  “Well, sure, if you say so.” Samuel reached across the table and pulled the cap from the strange bottle. He took a sniff. “It doesn’t smell too bad.”

  “It’s yellow rice wine. They soak herbs and other things to get that flavor. Try a sip.”

  “Right from the bottle? I don’t see an empty glass here.”

  “Yes.”

  Samuel lifted the bottle to his mouth, taking a small sip. He was surprised it tasted so good. “Not bad,” he mentioned, handing the bottle to Callie.

  She accepted the bottle, raising it to the window and nodding to the Chinese family standing outside. She also drank right from the bottle like he had. “Your quite the lady,” Samuel told her, smiling.

  He almost laughed out loud when her face puckered up but he could tell she was trying to force it down without insulting Mister Wong. Samuel took the bottle and drank more so she didn’t have to. “It is an acquired taste,” he told her. With just two small sips a warmth spread through his whole body from the top of his head to the tips of his boots.

  A moment later their breakfast was set on the table. Samuel was enjoying the Chinese medicinal wine so he didn’t eat too much while Callie cleaned her plate.

  She wiped at her mouth with a cloth napkin and grinned. “You may want to slow down a little, else it will hit you all at once. I’ve seen it before with the toughest of men.”

  Maybe she was right but he wasn’t about to admit a thing. “I’m fine,” he told her. “It’s not like I never drank before.”

  Callie stared at him. “I hope it’s okay to call you Samuel since we are married now.”

  “Sure, and I’ll call you Callie. Now, we best be on our way to the ranch so we can at least catch the last of the celebration of my brother’s wedding.”

  Samuel paid the bill, guiding Callie outside. He blinked several times but the whole street seemed fuzzy. She slid her arm through his. “Don’t try to fight it, Samuel. You’ve had a bit too much to drink. May I have that bottle please?”

  Samuel didn’t realize he had been holding onto the small bottle as if it were a gold nugget. “Sure.” His mouth was numb, more so than after a few sips of whiskey while playing cards.

  Callie led them to a horse tied at the post in front of the Café. “Here we are.”

  “Wait, where is the wagon?” Samuel squinted his eyes, looking around for the wagon. It was Melody’s wagon brought back from Dallas after her divorce. “I know I brought it this morning before picking you up? Where did I place that darn thing?” His mouth didn’t want to cooperate as he leaned into Callie.

  “Don’t worry. I traded with the Chinese family. All they had was this one horse to travel with and those children, poor things, had to walk. You saw them.”

  Samuel was no longer steady on his feet. “You traded our wagon and horse for a single horse? We’ll honey, you sure are being kind with my belongings!”

  Callie leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I am sorry, truly, but I promise to pay you back threefold. Now, we better get to your ranch.”

  It took Samuel awhile longer than necessary to get on the saddle but he did so and held out his arm to lift Callie up. Instead of swinging herself in front of him, she whipped her leg across the back, then wrapped her arms around his waist, her whole body tight up against him. How in the world was he going to concentrate with her so darn close?

  As they rode out of town, several onlookers stared at the two. “I believe we’ll be the talk of the town,” Samuel slurred. He lifted the bottle to his mouth again, taking a much needed sip.

  Callie laughed out loud. “Mr. White, I don’t much care what anyone thinks. Do you? Besides, there is one thing on my mind right now and it isn’t what this town thinks.”

  “Not at the moment. You sure are a sweet thing, honey. What is that one thing you have on your mind?” He was hoping it was letting him take her in his arms and kissing her sweet lips again.

  She placed her mouth near his left ear, her warm breath dancing across his skin. “Remember the teeny, tiny favor I need help with?”

  “You never did say what it was.”

  “That’s because it is so important to me that I’d do anything, including marrying a man I didn’t know to accomplish what I need done.”

  Samuel reached back and patted her arm. “Aww, honey, you just ask and it’s yours.” He wished the darn horse would go faster, he was anxious to get back to the ranch. The spots in front of his eyes weren’t helping any. Good thing it wasn’t too difficult to guide a horse.

  “I’m so happy to hear you say those words. Well, then, after we get back to your ranch we need to devise a strategy, a plan of action of sorts for our adventure.”

  “An adventure? I love the ranch and everything it stands for but living a mundane life on the ranch with a woman who harps at me isn’t what I relish so tell me about this adventure.”

  Callie laughed out loud. “Well, sir, we are about to break my Uncle Jessie out of the North Texas Lunatic Asylum!”

  Chapter 2

  Callie wasn’t expecting such a handsome man for a husband. Even if he was a bit tipsy from the Chinaman’s Medicinal Wine, his smile was genuine and his demeanor attractive. She probably could’ve stopped him after a few sips but the thought of explaining her mission to a total stranger was uttermost on her mind. She hadn’t paid attention before it was too late and he had drank more than half the bottle.

  Her arms were wrapped around his waist. He was so muscular. Strong, handsome and adventurous was exactly what she needed in a partner to help break out her uncle from that awful place. Once Uncle Jessie was out of danger, she would be able to reveal herself and claim back their land.

  “Did you just say what I thought you said?”

  She nodded even though he wasn’t able to see. “I did, and I have an idea of how to go about arranging the escape.”

  “Are you for real?” he asked her, his head loping from one side to the other. She was afraid Samuel would have a headache after the rice wine wore off. She had seen it many times growing up. It was why she forced herself to take only one sip and that almost made her gag but she didn’t want to offend Mister Wong and his wife.

  “I am real and your wife of exactly one hour and fifty minutes.”

  “How do you know how long we’ve been married?”

  She snapped the pocket watch closed and stuffed it back in the pocket of his vest before smiling. He never even noticed she had pulled it out. He was more intoxicated than she originally thought. “I just checked your pocket watch,” she told him. It was time to be honest with him but he needed to get home and sleep off the wine first. The stuff was potent and she wished now she’d paid more attention to how much he drank.

  Meanwhile, there was no point in
letting the awful things that had happened interfere with her wedding day. A day she never should’ve had to be forced to do but if it freed her uncle then that’s all that mattered.

  “Another twenty minutes or so and we’ll be at the White Ranch. You’ll love my brothers and their wives. Oh, and my Ma, Nora. She’s the one who concocted this whole mail-order bride stuff.”

  “I’m anxious to meet them all,” she told him, shouting a little louder as the horse clip-clopped down the road, his hooves making noise over the stones. A small Texas breeze whipped through the air. “Tell me about your family,” she urged. Maybe getting him to talk more would sober him up. It was a long shot but she was desperate to explain what she needed from him and wanted his full attention when she did so.

  “Well, there is the three of us. Luke, he’s the oldest. He married the first mail-order bride, Abigail. My brother wasn’t planning to stay married because of the secret. As you know the contract says we can get an annul, uh, a, annulling, oh, jeez, annul the marriage in three months if the bride is not to our satisfaction. The problem with that is we have to keep our hands to ourselves. No marriage bed stuff if you know what I mean.”

  Callie shook her head, not taking offence at his words since she was the cause of his drunkenness. His words were becoming more slurred by the minute. There was no sobering him up at this rate. She took the bottle from his hand, not realizing he was still sipping on it. She had to focus and pay attention!

  “That’s enough of the Chinese Medicinal Wine, Samuel.”

  Samuel laughed at everything she said from there on in. He stumbled over his words about his middle brother Adam and the best friend who was becoming his wife today. He’d never be able to help her plan out her uncle’s escape in this condition. There was no sense in even trying to get his help today. It would have to wait until morning.

  She may as well enjoy the merriment at the reception when they got to the ranch. With all the worrying she had done in the last few months, it wouldn’t hurt to be able to relax among people who weren’t trying to cause her harm. Since they would be at a wedding reception, perhaps no one would notice her husband was extremely drunk.

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  A sign hung from the large open gate, swinging gently back and forth. It read White Ranch in big, bold letters, some beginning to fade from the elements. By now, Samuel was slumped back against Callie as she had took over the reins. The horse seemed as wobbly as Samuel as they went down the single lane leading to the ranch. It was a wonder Samuel remembered the way home.

  In the yard a celebration was going on as people mingled about. She was nervous meeting the rest of the family but made up her mind to focus on the reason she was here.

  “We’re home, darling.” Samuel hiccuped several times.

  “Samuel, perhaps you don’t want to say much right now. Your family will notice you had too much to drink.”

  He shrugged, taking the reins from her hands. “Let’s ride in like we are saving the day, you know how the cowboy saves the lady.”

  Before Callie was able to respond, Samuel nudged the horse as he gave a holler. The horse took off as she tightened her hold on his waist as they flew down the road. She had to admit, he was a fascinating man. He rode a horse like it was naturally a part of him, even if he was a bit tipsy. Well, a lot tipsy.

  The ride was exhilarating, just what she needed. Callie flung her head back, holding onto his waist with one hand while clutching the top of her hat with the other. “Yes! This is so much fun!”

  Samuel laughed out loud.

  Callie hung on for dear life, her smile widening as he raced towards the yard.

  A crowd began to gather, looks of surprise on their faces. Callie knew her blue jeans would be the first shocking thing they noticed but she didn’t care. Being with Samuel and knowing he was her husband was all she needed. She just hoped the rest of his family would understand.

  An older man with bright red hair stood on one end of the crowd, his hat in one hand. A tall woman with dark brown hair neatly coiled on her head stood beside him. She wore a neat blue dress and a serious look on her face. Callie had a feeling she was the notorious Nora White, matron of the family.

  Samuel started to laugh again, causing a rippling effect as Callie joined in. The horse was slowing down but with all the Hollerith Samuel was doing it was a wonder he hadn’t scared the poor horse.

  Before Callie realized, they had come to a complete stop in front of a group of people who were staring with both shocked and amused looks on their faces.

  So she gave them the biggest smile ever!

  “Samuel! What is the meaning of this?”

  Samuel lifted a hand and waved to the woman in the blue dress. “Ma! I’m back with my wife, C, Call, Calliope, uh, Callie! Yes, her name is Callie and I’ve just had the best darn Chinese wine ever!”

  One of the men stood with his hands on his hips, a beautiful woman at his side. “Samuel, you’re drunk!”

  Samuel nodded and then let out the biggest guffaw the others ever heard coming from the youngest White son. The crowd chuckled, some outright laughing along with him, not knowing why they did. One couple slipped away, most likely the groom Callie was set to marry before Samuel came along and interrupted.

  The two looked perfect for each other. She was a beautiful bride with long wavy hair flowing down her back. She placed a hand on her husband’s chest as if they belonged together. Although the groom seemed more serious than she’d ever think possible, Callie turned her head away, knowing it was a private moment, one she didn’t need to watch.

  There were more urgent things at hand, like getting Samuel off this horse.

  Everyone continued to stare at Callie as if they were trying to figure out who or what she was. It occurred to her just then she probably looked like a boy with her pants on and her legs dangling on either side of this horse.

  So she picked up the rim of her hat and lifted it in the air as her golden locks escaped from the wool hat. They fell around her shoulders as some of the ladies in the crowd gasped. “Hello everyone. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m the new Mrs. White!”

  “Yeehaw!” Samuel yelled, even louder than he had been on their way here. He took his hat off and threw it in the air. “Guess what. We are going on an adventure!”

  Nora White crossed her arms over her chest. “And, pray tell, what exactly do you mean by an adventure, son?”

  He guffawed again. “Well, Ma, I’m going to help Mrs. White here break out her uncle from the North Texas Lunatic Asylum!”

  The crowd went silent at his announcement.

  He slid from the horse and almost lost his balance. Callie watched as his brother moved forward to steady Samuel. “I believe it’s time for a nap.”

  Callie immediately slid down, went to her new husband and wrapped an arm around the other side of him. They each held onto him as he stumbled towards the main house. Nora White followed along, not saying a word.

  Callie felt eyes on her from behind. She wasn’t sure if they were friendly or angry but she wasn’t about to turn around to find out. She’d have to explain everything soon but her most important job was to make sure Samuel was taken care of. She was his wife after all and wasn’t going to ignore that fact even if all she wanted was to free her uncle from that horrible place.

  Luke settled his little brother in one of the rooms upstairs, while Callie stood in the kitchen, hat in hand. What now, she thought to herself. Would Nora White throw her out?

  “Callie? Will you have some tea with me?” Nora began to place two cups on the kitchen table, as if it hadn’t been a question but an order.

  “Thank you, Mrs. White.” Callie sat down, ready to hear a lecture or whatever the mother of a mail order bride’s husband did in a situation like this.

  The gaiety of the evening drifted through the open door. Nora noticed, closed the door and sat down, muffling some of the noise. After taking a sip of tea, she looked at Callie over the brim of her teacup. “I’m sure
there is a story behind what I just witnessed and I’ve plenty of time to listen.”

  Nora didn’t make her feel as if she were a horrible person, at least that was a relief. Callie sighed. “I apologize for Samuel’s behavior. It is my fault.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  “I was so busy thinking of other things I forgot to make sure he only took a few sips of the Medicinal Wine. It was given to us as a thank you from a Chinese family.”

  “I see. How nice to receive a gift.” Nora placed her cup on the table.

  “Well, it was for the wagon. I suppose I am sorry about giving away a wagon, also.”

  Nora snorted. “You gave away our horse and wagon? Is this the reason the two of you came here on one lonely horse?”

  Callie nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

  Nora picked up her tea cup again even if she didn’t drink from it. Looking over the brim, Callie noticed a small smile spreading across her face.

  “Looking back I guess I am sorry about that, too. The Chinese family only had one poor horse to get to their cousin’s house in Dallas. Those poor children had to walk. I was so disturbed by this I offered our wagon in exchange for their horse and they returned the favor with a bottle of their best medicinal wine. I probably didn’t have the right to do so. I jumped in and tried to help but obviously, I’ve overstepped my boundaries.”

  Nora smiled. “So, it seems you are used to helping others?”

  “Yes, on our ranch there was always some type of charity work to do. Oh, I’ve said too much!”

  Nora patted Callie’s hand. “I think we will get along fine. I’m not sure why you want to break your uncle out of the lunatic asylum or why he is even there, but I’m sure there is good reason to do so and we’ll worry about that tomorrow. You said your ranch. Tell me about it.”

  “Yes, let’s hear all about it,” Luke chimed in, taking a chair at the table.