“He said he’d give me half of my inheritance upon taking a bride,” Clarence went on, “and the other half upon having a child… Half of my inheritance will be more than enough to cover the cost of my expansion and improvements, so that is why I placed my ad in the Matrimonial Times. I wanted to find a bride as soon as possible, so that I can make do those things before the opportunity passes.
“The Matthews homestead is a prime piece of property—and, if I don’t buy it soon, someone else will. Not to mention, it’s still relatively early in birthing season, so now’s the time to buy the best cattle and horses. And, I found a good price on the milking invention, but who knows how long it’ll before they raise it. I’ve got to act now. Surely you can understand?”
Emily’s head was spinning. Never mind the milking invention, she felt like a tool or piece of equipment—like something being used to earn money and make a profit. And, she most certainly did not like that feeling.
“But what about love, romance, and making a spiritual connection?” Emily asked. “Surely you want those things in a wife, don’t you? If you marry me—or anyone—just to get part of your inheritance, won’t you long for these graces?”
“Those ‘graces,’ as you call them,” Clarence said with a sigh, “are highly overrated. At its bottom line, marriage is a partnership—and, that’s the part of it I’m after. I want a bride who will work with me to make a good life, one who will give me a child we can take care and provide for. There need not be love or romance between a man and woman for these things to occur. All that’s needed is a lawful union before God’s eyes. All that’s needed is the social convention of marriage. And, we can have that marriage, even if we don’t have love… Like I said, love is overrated.”
Emily’s eyes filled with tears, and she did nothing to hold them back. “So, you mean I traveled all the way across the country to marry a man who just wants a partner to help him get money and raise children?”
“Essentially, yes,” Clarence said, leaning forward again.
“But, look at that in light of your other options. In your letter, you said that you were unable to pursue marriage in New York because of your strict guardians. Despite your good looks, you had no future there. You had no freedom.
“I, however, can give you a future, and a certain degree of freedom. We can have beautiful children together, whom you can nurture and love. Will you get that in New York? I will share my house and business with you. I will give you a stipend so that you can shop for fashion, makeup, and art. You can have anything your heart desires, and you can entertain your girlfriends at this house, within reason. Will you get any of that in New York?”
Emily bit her lip, and, then, held her tongue. Though she didn’t want to admit it, there was much logic, sense, and reason to what Clarence said. Indeed, she would have none of those things back in New York—and, at this point, she didn’t even know if she’d have a home in New York if she decided to return. Surely her aunt and uncle were upset with her for running away like she did, and they might very well shut their door on her if she went back—or, worse yet, force her to live under even stricter rules.
“The way I see it,” Clarence went on, “this is a win-win situation for us both. All we have to do is say ‘I do’ in two days, and then we both will have what we want most out of this arrangement. I’ll have what I need to move forward with my business, and you’ll have what you need to move forward with your life.”
Emily grabbed her napkin and blotted her cheeks and eyes with it. “I don’t know what to say,” she confessed.
“Well, you’d better think of something to say soon,” Clarence chided. “The wedding is scheduled for two days from now. And, if you don’t want to go through with it, you’ve got to let me know, so that I don’t waste any more time.”
Clarence sounded so cold when he said that last part. And, in that moment, Emily realized that he didn’t sound at all like his namesake. He was nothing like her father. If anything, he was more like his father’s sister, Aunt Clara—only a wee bit more tolerable. At least he could give her children and freedom, which she otherwise might never find.
“Alright, Clarence Porter,” Emily said, placing her napkin down on the table. “I’ll marry you, so that I can have freedom and you can get part of your inheritance. I’ll bear your children, so that I can be a mother and your family name can live on.
“I’ll do these things because I have no other options in life. But, when I do them, I’ll do them with faith and hope in my heart.”
Clarence raised an eyebrow and looked at Emily expectantly.
“You do not love me today,” Emily went on. “And you do not want to love me… But, maybe someday you will.”
“I wouldn’t count on it, dear,” Clarence said coldly. He stood up, threw his napkin down on the table, and left the dining room.
NINE
Two days later, Emily Crawford and Clarence Porter were married in the chapel at Misty River. Emily wore a beautiful dress that she’d acquired in town the day earlier, and Clarence wore a three-piece suit that he’d worn, as a guest, to other weddings.
By all accounts and measures, the wedding ceremony and celebration were quite lovely and met, if not exceeded, all social expectations. It was the first wedding celebration that Emily had ever been to. Many of the things Aunt Clara had warned her about months before did, in fact, occur at the event—from music, dancing, and overindulgence on food to partaking of spirits, unchaperoned conversations, and wandering minds, eyes, and hands.
But, none of these things were of any consequence to Emily. She was the bride at this wedding after all, and, although her new husband wasn’t that attentive or affectionate, all of the townspeople were very kind and encouraging to her. She received a good number of gifts, and an even greater number of congratulations and well wishes, and she saw the potential for many meaningful, firm friendships.
The wedding celebration began to wind down just as the sun began to lower on the horizon, and, as the guests started to leave, Emily felt a bit nervous about the “alone time” that would follow with her husband. Although they wouldn’t be completely “alone” just yet, as convention dictated a chaperone stay with them for at least a few days, they would be “alone” in the sense that they would not be surrounded by many other people or busy with other things.
Emily had only been in Misty River approximately two full days now. And, other than the brief time she spent with him in the dining room the day she arrived, learning his motives, Emily had seen very little of Clarence in that time. There were many things that needed to be prepared for the wedding, and Clarence still had to operate his business, mind you.
But, now, this warm Sunday evening, the two of them could go “home” together, without the burdens of work, ceremony, or celebration to distract them. The thought of it was overwhelming to Emily, but she still clung to the faith and hope in her heart. Maybe she could do something to win him over and make him love her—and, maybe, just maybe, she could do it this evening.
Once the bulk of wedding guests had gone, Shannon found Emily and collected her to leave. The two women went to the carriage, along with Victor—and Emily was shocked when Victor took the reins and started steering the horses.
“What about Clarence?” Emily asked, looking around for her husband. “Aren’t we going to wait for him?”
“Clarence said he has to take care of a few things in town before coming home,” Victor sighed. His words were clear, but he stumbled on them a bit, which gave Emily cause for concern and caused Shannon to emit a snort of laughter.
“No worries,” Victor added in a steadier voice. “He’ll be home later.”
As the carriage drove off, Emily eyed what was left of the crowd. She could not see Clarence among the people assembled and wondered what it was, exactly, that kept him from coming home… and, soon enough, she would find out.
Sometime later that night, well after dark, Emily heard a horse neighing and looked out of the win
dow in the guest bedroom in which she was staying. She saw Clarence stagger down from the horse, then watched as he tripped and fell once he caught his bearings. When he got up again, he picked up his stride, though he could barely walk straight.
Emily bowed her head and shook it. She’d never imbibed before, but she knew what it looked like when someone was drunk—and, Clarence was, quite clearly, drunk. He was drunk as a skunk!
Emily sat down on her bed and let her mind wander. She wondered if she’d been too hasty to marry Clarence after all. What if he turned out to be a letch or a drunkard? He could hardly be a good father or provider then.
As Emily continued to question her decision, she heard a clamor from the dining room and leaned her ear against her door to better hear what was going on. From what she could ascertain, Clarence was now in the house, and Victor was having strong words with him.
“How dare you, you spoiled brat!” Victor shout. “How dare you come into this house in your condition! How dare you spoil this sacred day! What’s wrong with you, boy?”
The next thing Emily heard was a series of loud, garbled words, and, then, she heard a crashing noise, followed by the sound of Victor’s voice yelling out in pain. Pray God, Emily thought to herself, I hope he didn’t hit that old man!
Emily’s helpful nature got the better of her, and she rushed out of the guest room and into the living room, where she saw Victor crumbled on the floor, with Clarence towering above him. But, the closer Emily looked at the scene, the more confused, and bewildered, she became.
Clarence was no longer wearing his three-piece suit, but, rather, was wearing denim pants and a soiled white shirt beneath a beaten-in leather vest. His hair looked greasy and unkempt, and he had faint whiskers on his chin. His body even looked different. He looked a bit taller, and a bit thinner—and, dare say, older.
It was then that Emily realized she was not, in fact, looking at Clarence. She was looking at another man, who was the spitting image of him…
“Well hello there,” the strange man said, turning to look at Emily. His eyes moved over her body in a way that made her feel both ashamed and dirty.
“What’s going on here?” Emily asked, stepping back. She looked down at Victor, and the poor old thing had a gaping cut on his forehead.
“I’ve come to meet my new sister,” the stranger said, licking his lips as he moved closer toward Emily, bridging the gap she’d just created.
“What—… Who—” Emily started.
“Ah, I see my brother hasn’t told you about me,” the man said. “But, that’s alright… We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other once we leave here.”
“What?” Emily asked. “I’m not leaving with you… I’m not going anywhere with you, no matter who you are.”
“I didn’t give you an option, sister,” the man said. “I didn’t ask you to come with me—and, I won’t… You will come with me. And, if you know what’s good for you, you won’t put up a fight.”
The man lunged forward and grabbed Emily by the arm.
“Sean, please,” Victor exclaimed, “leave her alone! Take whatever you want from this house, but, please, I beg you, leave your brother’s wife here!”
“There’s nothing I want in this house except my brother’s bride,” Sean replied with a huff of hearty laughter. “What I want is in the vault at the bank—and, if my brother ever wants to see his wife again, he’ll go there, first thing tomorrow morning, and get it.”
“How much money do you want, Sean?” Victor demanded. “I’ll give you all I have in my room, and everything that’s hidden under my floorboards. Just don’t take Emily!”
“Your spare change is nothing compared to what’s in my brother’s bank account, old man,” Sean laughed back. “I know he has a great deal of money in there. And, surely he won’t mid giving it all to me to reclaim his wife… After all, you’ll be replenishing his funds later this week, won’t you?”
Victor shook his head and winced. The pain of the movement, and the situation, clearly hurt him.
“Yes, grandfather, I know about the arrangement you made with my brother,” Sean went on. “And, I figure, if he can profit from taking on a bride, I should too. Part of his inheritance should have been mine after all—and, it would have been had you not disowned me.”
“Well, I never would’ve disowned you if you weren’t an outlaw,” Victor chimed back. He tried to stand, but Sean kicked out his heel to stop him.
“Stay down, old man,” Sean insisted. “Stay down, and stand your ground until my brother returns… That’s your job. You are tasked to give him my message. Tell him that I took his bride, and that, if he wants her back, he must empty out his drawer in the vault tomorrow and meet me in the tavern outside of Gold Pot, tomorrow at high noon.”
Victor bowed his head and began crying. It pained Emily to see the old man lose control of his emotions, but that pain was nothing compared to all else she felt. For one thing, Sean had a very firm grasp on her arm, and it hurt to get up. And, for another, her mind was flooded with thoughts and dire confusion. Though she’d seen the photograph of Clarence and another young man on the dining room wall only two days earlier, she had no idea that Clarence’s brother was still alive, still living in the area, and living life as an outlaw.
“And, old man,” Sean added, dragging Emily behind him, “don’t get any smart ideas. Don’t try to contact the sheriff—and, tell my brother not to either. If I get any wind of the law, rest assured, I’ll kill her.”
With that, Sean gave Emily a quick tug and led her out the door.
“Where are you taking me?” Emily cried out. But, Sean, of course, did not answer.
TEN
“Now that I have you alone, there’s a good deal I could say, or do,” Sean said as he paced back and forth across the floor. He and Emily were in an abandoned barn, which he’d been using as his “hideout” for the past several months. It was halfway between Misty River and the next town, Gold Pot, and was barely a suitable dwelling for any creature, let alone a person.
Emily cringed and shifted her body to protect herself. Her hands were bound behind her back, and her legs were tied together at the ankles.
“Don’t worry, sweet girl,” Sean laughed, sensing Emily’s apprehension. “I’ve never forced myself on any woman. My good looks, alone, have been enough to put me in many a woman’s favor.”
Again, Emily cringed, and she looked away from Sean. Yes, he looked very much like his brother. But, he was far more passionate and verbal than Clarence, which, all things considered, was not a good thing.
“It seems you know very little about the family you’ve married into,” Sean said. He stopped pacing, went over to Emily, and knelt beside her. “So, tell me, would you like to know more?” he asked.
“Not from you,” Emily retorted.
“Then from who?” Sean snickered.
“From anyone but you,” Emily replied, eying Sean with disgust. “I wouldn’t take anything you said to heart. After all, you’re a criminal… an outlaw.”
“Indeed, I am,” Sean smiled. “But, do you know why?”
Emily turned her head and refused to answer.
Sean stood up and started pacing again. “You see, little sister,” Sean explained, “Clarence and I lost our parents at a very young age. They were both killed in a fire, and, after their deaths, we went to live with our father’s father—good ‘ole Victor.
“Victor gave us a good home and tried his best to school us in animal husbandry, livestock maintenance, and business. But, I didn’t take to these things so well. I was only 12 at the time, and I dreamed of a life filled with adventure. You know—exploring the country, meeting different people, and enjoying tall glasses of ale with tall barmaids.
“Clarence, on the other hand, was a few years younger, and was more easily molded by Victor. He started running errands for the old coot and assisting him on daily endeavors. He became what’s called a ‘prodigy,’ and was reared to take over th
e family business.
“And, while Clarence was being reared and trained, I was left to myself, for the most part. I started getting into trouble when I was a teenager—just small things like public drunkenness, getting into fights, and damaging public property.
“Victor didn’t take too kindly to my dealings, and he chastised me for my choices. Soon enough, when I was 20 or so, I ran away to another town located just north of the Mexican border—and, it was there that the real trouble started.”
“I don’t want to hear anymore,” Emily exclaimed. “I don’t need you to tell me—”
“Oh, don’t worry, Mrs. Porter,” Sean laughed. “I’m not going to tell you everything. This isn’t a confession or statement to the law, after all. I just want to make sure you understand why you’re here.
“True enough, I got into even more trouble after I ran away. I got into great debt, got mixed up with Mexican outlaws, and head both a warrant out for my arrest and a warrant out for my head.
“I came back here to Misty River two years ago and begged my grandfather—and my brother—to help me. All I needed was some money to get me further away, perhaps across the country. But, they wouldn’t have it. They wouldn’t give me a red penny. And, as a result, I turned back to the only thing I knew. I got my money the time-honored, old-fashioned way… by robbing travelers and ransacking different businesses.
“I’ve gone back and forth between Ruby, Misty River, Gold Pot, and three other nearby towns these past two years, stealing whatever I could in order to survive and living in squalor such as this.
“But, now, I’m tired of just ‘surviving,’ and I no longer want to live in squalor. I want what I deserve—as a Porter—and if neither Victor nor Clarence will give it to me, I’ll take it however I can.
“I was at the train station in Ruby when you arrived the other day. I saw Clarence and that old cow, Shannon, collect you from the station. After that, all I had to do was ask a few questions. In no time, I found out that the two of you were to be married today—and, I heard much more interesting gossip as well.
Mail Order Bride: JUMBO Mail Order Bride 20 Book Box Set Page 31