“We need to get the doctor,” Sam said in a calm voice. He felt anything but calm. He quickly dressed, got on his horse and raced to town. All the way there, he kept thinking, please don’t let my baby die. Until that very moment, he hadn’t realized that he’d stopped thinking of Carson as Ashley’s son. This was his son. That little infant had stolen his heart as much as his new wife. The terror at the thought of losing him, spurred him to push his horse to the brink of it’s limit. When he got to the doctors house, he had to rouse the poor man, by banging repeatedly on his door, like a madman. They rushed back as quickly as possible.
The doctor was now in the next room examining Carson.
Sam and Josephine were pacing back and forth in the room next door. When the doctor came out they both rushed to him.
“Tell me, is he going to be ok?” Sam asked, his voice like gravel. The doctor took off his glasses, wiped them and put them back on his nose before responding.
“Honestly? I don’t know,” he replied. “He has a very heavy fever which is dangerous at his young age.”
“What can we do?”
“Cool him down with cold rags continuously to get the fever down,” he replied. “I have given him a concoction to help clear the phlegm.”
When the doctor walked out and left them alone, Josephine and Sam starred at each other. Through a silent mutual understand they walked into the baby room and started their vigil.
The entire night one of them was either holding the baby’s hand or wiping him down with cold water. At the height of the fever, Josephine took Sam’s hand, knelt down by the bed and started praying.
“Dear Lord our God, you who created everything under the sun, below and above, please have mercy on us. Carson is such a sweet baby and a good boy. He has so much more to give. Please don’t cut his life short. He is you child, as we all are.
Please, we beg you; let it be your will that he survives this fever.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen.”
After ending her prayer, Josephine rushed to get her hymnbook and sang psalm after psalm for the rest of the night. They did not stop their vigil or cooling down their baby.
Twelve hours later the fever broke. The relief that Josephine felt was indescribable. Carson was finally sleeping peacefully. As they closed the baby room, the stress of the night finally got to her and she broke down in tears.
Sam rushed to her side, and scooped her up in his strong arms. As her tears subsided, she felt him caressing her hair soothingly.
“Don’t cry my love. The baby will be all right,” he whispered. Silence descended between them. In that moment, they both realized he had called her, my love.
Josephine, felt heat envelop her face. She sat completely still, afraid to move, in case she broke the spell created by his concern.
His arms tightened around her and he whispered, “I have never been so afraid in my life. I never want to lose you or Carson. I know you might not feel the same about me just yet. But hopefully someday soon, you will agree to be my wife in the real sense of the word.”
In the silence that followed his declaration, Josephine sat stunned. Then she whispered back, “I love you too.”
Upon hearing her words, Sam buried his head in the nape of her head, shuddering with relief at her confession.
When he had set out to find a mother for his son, never had he imagined he would find everything he needed. A mother, a wife and a companion.
That night they slept in the same bed, holding each other until dawn.
EPILOGUE
A Loving Family of Your Own
Mrs. Josephine Margaret Billingham Kent, was content. More content than she could have possibly have dreamed of, when she was still living in New York as an unpaid nursemaid for her father and her stepmother.
It had been months since the awful scare of almost losing her son Carson. The experience had brought her and her husband closer together. They had decided that although they were married in the eyes of the law, they wanted to be married in the eyes of God as well. Today was that day.
The Pastor had given her special dispensation to get married in white, seeing as she hadn’t done it properly the first time. Every time she peeked into the church, her heart raced. It looked like the entire town was out there to wish them well. She did not know what she had done to deserve such a fate, but she thanked the Lord every day for her good fortune. A husband that adored her, a son that had stolen her heart and with any luck another child on the way.
Smiling to herself, she caressed her stomach. It didn’t show yet, but she was pretty sure she was already with child. The wedding dress that had fitted perfectly last week, was so much tighter today. But it didn’t matter, no-one would notice.
“You ready?” Catherine McAdams asked her with a beaming smile. Josephine looked at her friend and was so grateful for her presence. She had never had a woman friend before; actually, she had never had a friend. In the last couple of months Catherine had proven to be the most loyal and supportive friend you could ever wish for.
“Yes, I am ready,” she replied. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders, grabbed her wedding bouquet and started slowly walking into the church to the celebration hymn played by the organist.
The End
2. An Elder Brother for The Abandoned Bride
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ONE
“Tomorrow’s the big day, eh?” Mrs. Wilson asked cheerfully as she entered the backroom.
“Yes, ma’am,” April Sanders replied, grinning from ear to ear. Her voice was full of great excitement, and her face was all aglow. But her eyes remained cast downward, staring at the precious thing she held in her hands.
“Are you ready for it?” Mrs. Wilson asked, moving closer to the younger girl.
April took a deep breath, then raised her head slowly and looked her employer in the eyes. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she answered. “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.”
At 25 years old, April may not have been waiting for this moment for very long, but it had felt like forever to her. The last four or five years, in particular, seemed to drag on for ages as she watched her friends and former schoolmates get married, have children, and move forward with their lives.
“I meant your journey, not your destination,” Mrs. Wilson laughed. “Are you prepared for your travels? Your train leaves early in the morning. Have you packed all of your things and said your goodbyes?”
“Oh,” April replied, laughing as well. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve already taken care of that, for the most part. My trunk has been packed for days, and I’ve said farewell to many people here in town. I have a few more loose ends to tie up at my aunt’s house, but, other than that, I’m ready to go.”
“Very well,” Mrs. Wilson smiled. She turned to leave, but, then, turned back to April.
“Finish up your lunch,” Mrs. Wilson said kindly. “Then finish mending Mr. Hanson’s coat. And, when you’re done with that, go ahead and call it a day. You can leave early… That’ll give you plenty of time to tie up those loose ends at your aunt’s house.
“But, I do have one more favor to ask of you, on your way out, if it’s alright.”
April looked up at Mrs. Wilson expectantly.
“On your way home,” Mrs. Wilson added, “I’d like you to deliver a package to the baker for me. I know it’s a bit out of your way, but, I figured, since you’ll be leaving earlier than usual—”
“It’s not a problem at all,” April interrupted. “I’ll gladly deliver the package… And, it’ll be nice to say farewell to the baker as well. Maybe I’ll even indulge and buy a biscuit or two, to take along with me on my travels.”
“Now there’s a splendid idea,” Mrs. Wilson said,
turning for the doorway.
“I’ll leave you to your lunch now,” she added, walking through it. “And to your photograph of the charming Mr. Miles Crawford.”
April blushed and bashfully bowed her head. But, when she bowed it, there he was. The charming Mr. Miles Crawford was smiling back up at her… at least in spirit.
That precious thing that April was holding was a photograph. It was of Miles. Miles Crawford.
Miles Crawford was the man with whom April had been communicating for the past several months—the 29-year-old cowboy from Texas she was going out West to marry. They’d been sending letters back and forth ever since she replied to his advertisement in the Matrimonial Gazette last spring, and he’d recently proposed to her—and sent his photograph—with his last letter.
Even before seeing his ruggedly handsome face and strong body, April knew that Miles was the man she wanted to marry. She’d gotten a really good sense of him from his letters and had developed genuine romantic feelings for him based on his love of life and adventurous spirit.
And, once she saw his photo, April felt only firmer in her decision. As it turned out, Miles was very handsome and pleasant to look at. He was quite a prize, in many ways, April concluded, and she felt both lucky, and blessed, to have found what she had with him. While some men and women used mail-order-bride publications simply to find companionship, domestic help, or better life options, what she’d found with Miles was all that and so much more. The thought of him, alone, gave her butterflies in her stomach.
April felt those butterflies fluttering now as she glanced down at Miles’ photo and thought about some of the things he’d written in his letters. She imagined his square face smoothing out into lines of laughter, and envisioned him in various scenarios, such as on a horse, exploring the frontier, dressed for church, and standing in the moonlight—and she saw herself right there with him, at his side, doing the same things.
Life with Miles was bound to be full of new experiences and excitement. April was sure of it, and she couldn’t wait to get away from Pennsylvania and start her new life with him.
But, she couldn’t get away from Pennsylvania just yet. As April looked up from the photo of Miles, she saw Mr. Hanson’s coat laying on the table behind her and noticed that what was left of her apple was starting to soften and turn brown, and she was reminded that, before she left town tomorrow, she had things to finish up today.
April carefully placed the photo of Miles in her pocket, then picked up her apple and tossed it in the garbage pail. It wasn’t like her to waste food like that, but she was eager to finish her work and leave the shop. Plus, she didn’t have much of an appetite anyway—those butterflies had been fluttering so much that her belly felt full.
April grabbed Mr. Hanson’s coat and took it over to her worktable, where she spread it out to assess what work needed to be done. Fortunately, the garment only needed a few alterations to ready it for the coming winter, and, talented seamstress that she was, April reckoned the entire job wouldn’t take her more than an hour, at most.
With thimble, thread, and other sewing accoutrements at hand, April sat and worked diligently for the next 50 minutes, mending Mr. Hanson’s coat with great attention to detail and care. Even though it was her last assignment on her last day at Mrs. Wilson’s shop, she didn’t rush through it and, instead, worked on it patiently, as if her livelihood depended on her success.
Once she was done with Mr. Hanson’s coat, April admired it and took pride in her workmanship. Then, she swiftly collected her belongings and went out to the front room, where she expected to find Mrs. Wilson waiting.
Mrs. Wilson, however, was not out in the front room.
“She’s gone to run a few errands,” the young girl behind the counter said with a bright smile. April couldn’t remember the girl’s name. She’d only just met her two days earlier, when Mrs. Wilson hired her to be April’s replacement.
“Thank you,” April replied, heading for the door.
“Don’t forget this,” the girl called out, nodding toward a moderately-sized parcel that was sitting on the counter beside her.
“Oh, yes, silly me!” April chuckled as she went back to retrieve the package Mrs. Wilson had set out for her to deliver. “Thanks again.”
“Good luck with everything,” the young girl said as April lugged the package toward the door. April smiled back at her, and, once outside, took one last look at Mrs. Wilson’s shop before bidding it farewell.
In all honesty, April had hoped, or expected, that her final departure from the shop would have been a bit more ceremonious. But, all things considered, she really couldn’t complain. She’d worked for Mrs. Wilson for over three years, and the two women were very close. They’d spent the greater part of the past week preparing themselves for April’s leaving and had already reminisced and said their goodbyes more than a few times. There wasn’t really much need for anything else at this point.
As April continued toward the baker’s shop, she thought about all the other people and places she was about to leave behind. They were all good people and good places, mind you. But, they’d just never been a good “fit” for her, and she knew, in her heart of hearts, what Miles Crawford and Texas would be.
April was so lost in thought that she barely noticed how quiet and unoccupied the town seemed. It was only around 2 p.m., which was normally a very busy time, but the streets were as still as suppertime or evening, and a calmness filled the air.
It wasn’t until April got to the baker’s shop that she became aware of the unusual state of things and became slightly suspicious.
“Hello?” April called out, opening the baker’s door. The curtains had been drawn on the window, and the place appeared to be empty.
“Is anyone in here?” April asked, stepping inside. Still, there was no answer; and the echo of April’s voice surrounded her.
April walked over to the counter and was just about to leave the parcel on it, when, all of a sudden, the baker, Mrs. Wilson, and about a half-dozen other people came running out from the backroom.
“Surprise!” Mrs. Wilson exclaimed.
“Congratulations!” the baker hollered.
“We sure fooled you!”
“You didn’t think we were going to let you leave without a grand farewell, did you?”
“Cheers to the bride-to-be!”
“Hurrah!”
There were so many different people shouting so many different kind words and phrases that April couldn’t keep track of who was saying what. But, no matter, their point was clear. A great number of townspeople had collected in the baker’s shop to throw a “surprise party” for April, and their gesture, along with their joy, greatly warmed her heart.
“Oh dear,” April said, blushing a bit, “I wasn’t expecting any of this… Thank you all so much.”
“You may not have been expecting it, child,” Mrs. Wilson said, patting April on the shoulder. “But, you deserve it… You’ve been an active, lively member of this community for years, and you will be sorely missed.”
Mrs. Wilson’s eyes began pooling with tears, and April couldn’t help but start crying as well.
“Enough of that,” the baker interrupted, joining the two women. “This is a party! Save your tears for after it’s done.
April and Mrs. Wilson both laughed at the old man, then nodded their heads and started walking around the room.
“I’ll miss you terribly,” Isabell Humphry said. Isabell was an old spinster who worked at the post office. She and April occasionally got together for lunch during work.
“Our loss is Texas’s gain,” George Albright said with a grin as his young son tugged at his vest. George was April’s former schoolmate, and, long ago, she dreamt of marrying him one day… before she found out she could not.
“I hope Mrs. Wilson’s new girl can mend clothing as well as you,” Reverend Lothrop laughed, adjusting the white collar beneath his black shirt.
And, so, several other peo
ple went on to recognize April and wish her well as she and Mrs. Wilson made her rounds around the baker’s shop.
Once the women were by the baker again, the old man came over to April and handed her a bag. “Some snacks for your journey,” he said, smiling.
“Looks like you won’t have to indulge yourself after all,” Mrs. Wilson remarked with a laugh, harkening back to the comment April had made earlier.
“I guess not,” April replied. “There’s more than enough bread and other snacks in here to carry me to Texas.”
“And here’s something you can use when you get there,” Isabell said, butting in to the conversation. She handed April a flat box tied in a ribbon.
“It’s paper, ink, and a quill,” Isabell explained, “so that you can write to us and tell us about your travels…. and wedding.”
“And, here,” Reverend Lothrop added, handing April something as well. “It’s a Bible, t bring happiness and God’s wisdom to your new home.”
A few other people gave April gifts, including more paper and ink, a needlepoint wall-hanging, and a wooden cross. With each gift, April felt closer and closer, despite the baker’s proviso against crying just yet.
“Now for my gift to you,” Mrs. Wilson said, after the clamor died down a bit.
“You really didn’t have to get my anything,” April responded, following Mrs. Wilson as she made her way across the room, toward the baker’s counter.
“Hush, hush,” Mrs. Wilson said.
The women had arrived at the counter, and Mrs. Wilson just stood there, beaming from ear to ear.
“Go ahead. Open in,” the old gal instructed. April looked at her curiously. The only package in sight was the moderately-sized one she, herself, had delivered just a bit earlier.
“Yes, it’s for you,” Mr. Wilson giggled. “Pretty clever of me to have you deliver your own gift, eh?”
April smiled and shook her head playfully at Mrs. Wilson, then slowly started opening the box.
Mail Order Bride: JUMBO Mail Order Bride 20 Book Box Set Page 4