Mail Order Bride: JUMBO Mail Order Bride 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  From listening to the two men, Lilly knew they were a day or so away from her stop. The thought of meeting a stranger who would shortly become her husband brought jitters to her heart. She let her mind stray to the one thing that worried her the most—her leg. How would he react to a bride who limped? But he was not looking for perfection, surely he would overlook her one little flaw?

  She felt a movement in her hands. She glanced down but there was nothing there other than her bible. Then it hit her. The ghost of a movement she had felt was a reminder that for her, this was an odyssey of faith. Lilly chose to believe that all would be well, and that Charles Jones would take one look at her and fall in love.

  He had written just the one letter and in it had enclosed her tickets as well as some money for Lilly to buy whatever she would need for the journey. He had mentioned something about the coming winter, which could be very harsh. She had bought materials to sew herself a few undergarments and some warm clothing. She already felt like a spoiled bride.

  Sighing with anticipation, she recalled his instructions for her to search for a man in a black coat with a red ribbon hanging from his pocket. She stifled a nervous giggle. She would have no problem telling who Charles was, she thought—not many men would have ribbons hanging off their pockets. As they neared the end of the journey, Lilly saw several homes, made simply from timber, nestled in the mountains, with thin dirt roads leading to them.

  Hours later, a kind of excitement gripped the stagecoach passengers and the driver yelled from the front, “We’ve reached our destination!”

  Lilly could tell from the driver’s happy voice that reaching safety was not always guaranteed, and she gave a silent word of thanks to the Lord. She longed to stretch her feet, stiff from sitting still for so long. They had only stopped for short periods, from the fear of an attack by native Indians. Lilly looked out the open window and saw four people standing by the side of a shop.

  She recognized Charles as soon as she laid eyes on him. Lilly half stood and waved at him, her hand moving vigorously, her face creased into a huge smile. He had curly black hair and sideburns that went to his cheeks. He had a kindly face and when he noticed her, he beamed and walked towards the stagecoach, which had come to a stop.

  Lilly pulled her case from under the seat and followed the passengers out. All weariness left her body and she felt as though she could break into a run. Willing herself to be patient, she was the last to embark from the stagecoach. While she waited, she threw glances out of the window, her eyes meeting Charles’, standing there waiting for her patiently. She blushed when she saw the joy clearly written on his face. She was so happy he was not old, had all his teeth and that he looked well kept.

  At last it was her turn to disembark and she made her way out, holding on to the seats for support. Charles reached in and took her case from her hand.

  He took her other hand and helped her out. They walked a little way away from the stagecoach, Lilly ahead of Charles. When they were clear of people, Lilly stopped and turned, knowing how foolish she must look grinning like a person who had discovered a pile of gold. Her smile froze when she saw that Charles had stopped a few steps behind her. His eyes were on her legs and Lilly cringed when she saw the horror written in his eyes.

  She wanted the ground she stood on to swallow her whole. Lilly glanced at her legs, covered by her long dress. At that moment, she hated herself and how she had been born. Why couldn’t she have two same sized legs like other women? Bitterness swirled in her mouth, tasting more sour than anything she had ever experienced. She looked at Charles helplessly, wondering if he would put her on the stagecoach to return home.

  Unable to wait any longer, Lilly limped towards Charles. He seemed to return to his senses and his eyes moved to her face. The stricken look had disappeared to be replaced by an unreadable expression, which did nothing to comfort Lilly. She stood there and waited to hear, if a marriage with a stranger out West, or lonely spinsterhood in the East, was part of her destiny.

  FIVE

  Charles Jones was angry and he wanted to lash out at someone or something. Joanna Hunter had tricked him into an arrangement with a cripple bride! His first sight of his intended had been like a dream come true, and he had mentally thanked Joanna Hunter for her hard work in finding him a suitable bride. That was, until he had noticed her limp as she walked ahead of him.

  He looked around him helplessly. Should he send her back on the next stagecoach? But that would be cold and completely heartless. The actions of a non-Christian man. At the reminder of his faith, Charles closed his eyes and tried to pray, but to no avail. He couldn’t think of any words. He was too angry with the Lord and with Joanna Hunter.

  A plan of action came just then. He would write her a letter, letting her know of his deep disappointment. She had promised him that she vetted all the women before sending them off to the West. How then could she have sent him a cripple bride if not to get his money? He was about to turn towards the post office that was next to the general shop, when he remembered Lilly.

  He saw the look of alarm on her face, and hardened his heart further. She too must have been in on the deceit.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you Lilly Gable,” he said stiffly.

  She murmured something back. Charles turned and walked towards the post office without inviting her to follow him. The postmaster was a friend of his, who went by the name of Henry. He was more than happy to lend Charles paper and pen to write the letter. He poured out his anger and disappointment over Joanna Hunter’s choice of a bride.

  Only when the letter was sealed and posted did Charles feel a little better. He remembered Lilly then and went outside to search for her. She stood where he had left her and for a fleeting moment, he felt a rush of shame, which disappeared as quickly as it had come. A Godly woman would not have come this way without informing him of her disability.

  What was he to do now? He looked at Lilly, thoughts racing in his mind. He had organized for a short marriage ceremony to be performed before heading out to the farm, which was miles away from civilization. Charles glanced at his wagon, packed with supplies waiting in the small patch of grass in front of the store. His shoulders sagged at the knowledge that he only had one choice.

  Even if he sent Lilly back to Pennsylvania, that would still leave him without a bride. Single women, who did not work in brothels, were not aplenty out West. He thought of the coming winter and how lonely the next few months would get. Other than the leg, she appeared to be in good health. The only thing he would require of her was to provide him with children.

  Charles sincerely hoped that she was capable of bringing forth children.

  “I arranged for a short ceremony at the chapel, if that’s alright with you.”

  She looked like a trapped deer and her only reply was a small nod. Again, he strode ahead of her and heard her faltering steps as she followed him. The chapel held a maximum of thirty people, but at the moment, it was quiet with no one inside apart from the preacher. Charles stiffly went through the motions and when it was over, he marched out, leaving his bride to follow him.

  He was glad that she was at the back of the wagon where he did not have to make conversation. The journey back would take the rest of the day and part of the night. In the quiet of the wooded area that the road wound through, Charles’ anger thawed and a little guilt swam in his soul.

  Lilly’s petrified face came to his mind and he felt a tug of sympathy for her. Still, her limping had caught him off guard, especially when he remembered the prettiness of her face, which had faded as soon as he saw the limp. His own behavior shook him to the core. Yes, she had deceived him, but something told Charles that he hadn’t behaved as a Christian man should.

  He should have swallowed his disappointment and over time spoken about it with her. As it was, he had closed the window of communication between them. He thought of the scriptures and searched for a comforting verse and found none. The bitterness still felt too raw to allow the
word of God to fill his heart.

  They travelled non-stop, as Charles wanted to reach home as quickly as he could. The weather could be unpredictable and he could smell a storm coming on. By the time they reached the road that exited the main road to the cottage, it was completely dark and the only sounds to be heard were the sounds of the wagon wheels on the gravel.

  Lilly would not see much tonight, Charles thought, but the next morning, their surroundings would catch her by surprise. From where the house was built, the Rocky Mountains seemed so close, like you could stretch out a hand and touch them, yet in reality, they were almost two days away by horseback.

  Had she turned out to be a normal full able-bodied bride, Charles would have been eager and anxious about her reaction to his home. As it was, he did not much care whether she liked it or not. If she didn’t, that was her own fault; after all, she had deceived him too. He brought the wagon to a halt and jumped out.

  He pulled back the flap and saw that Lilly was asleep on the wagon bench, her dark brown hair covering her face.

  She looked so innocent that he felt loath to wake her up. Resolved, he pushed away the feelings of protectiveness that came over him. They had started their marriage on a bad note and Charles had a feeling that it would get worse from there. With a sigh, he shook her awake.

  SIX

  Lilly woke up to the weak warmth of the sun through the window. She popped her eyes open, immediately recalling the events of the previous evening. She cringed with embarrassment at the state she was in when they got home. She had been too tired to even open her eyes and Charles had carried her in. That was as much as she remembered.

  She looked round the medium sized room, furnished sparsely with just the bed and a wardrobe. The very air here smelt different from that of back home. There was a kind of freshness to it, as though untouched by any other living thing. All at once, her memory of Charles’ stricken expression came to mind. Lilly groaned and covered her face in the blanket. It couldn’t be denied…that expression of horror.

  But why had he married her then? Anxious she bit her lower lip as she thought it through.

  Despite his misgivings about her limp, he had given her a chance and Lilly intended to show Charles that he had not made a mistake in marrying her. Yes, she was going to prove to him, this marriage was meant to be. With her resolve firmly in place, she jumped out of the bed, and blushed deeply when she realized that she was only dressed in her petticoat.

  That meant that Charles had had the opportunity to take a good look at her. She pushed the disturbing thought away and concentrated on dressing. Her case was by the side of the bed, and she got a day dress from the folded clothes and put it on. When she felt ready, Lilly left the room in search of a washroom.

  The room next to hers was bigger and she assumed that it was Charles’s room. There was one other small room and then she found herself in a cozy-looking but sparsely furnished front room. There were three comfortable-looking chairs surrounding a centered table but no rugs to cover the wooden floor.

  Adjoining it was a kitchen with a stove and a kettle over it. On a table were two buckets full of creamy fresh milk. There was a makeshift sink against the wall and a door. Lilly pushed the door open and was hit by a chilly wind, but she soon forgot it at the sight that lay in front of her eyes. Green plains stretched for miles ahead, broken by oak trees and at the very end framed by mountains so close she could touch them if she stretched her hand.

  “Good morning,” Charles muttered, walking towards her from somewhere at the side of the cabin.

  She searched his face for signs of friendship and saw none. Where was that spark she had seen before all he could see was her limp? She would not cry. She gave him her brightest smile and ignored the hurt that rose in her throat.

  “The washroom is here,” he continued, pointing at a makeshift sink by the wall and a big tin of water.

  She murmured her thanks, scooped water from a jug into her hands, and washed her face. When she looked up again, Charles had disappeared. She stood for a moment to look at her immediate surroundings. There was a small shed and several outhouses, and beyond that, a cultivated piece of land.

  Lilly retraced her steps and returned to the kitchen where to her surprise, she found Charles preparing tea. He had already laid a chunk of bread on the kitchen table and two mugs. Not knowing what to do with herself, Lilly gingerly sat down at the table.

  He poured out both their teas and sat down opposite her.

  “Shall we say Grace?” Lilly offered.

  When he nodded, she waited for him to say the prayer and when he didn’t she licked her dry mouth and proceeded to say Grace.

  The silence between them, as they ate their breakfast, was loud enough that Lilly could hear every crunch of her teeth as she munched on the dry bread. It was a relief when Charles finished and pushed his chair back. She watched him leave the house by the kitchen door with hot tears in her eyes. It was one thing to tell herself that she could bear it, but being ignored like that hurt more deeply than Lilly could have imagined.

  ***

  Abandoned to her own devices in her new home, she did what she always did back home to keep her mind off things. She worked. She gave the cabin a thorough cleaning, all the while humming songs to herself. When the cabin was as neat as could be, she ventured out and noticed a well further on. Knowing that the water in the house was depleted, Lilly limped back and forth carrying pails of water and pouring them into the tin at the back and the drum in the kitchen.

  For their lunch, Lilly peeled some potatoes, mashed them, and prepared a piece of cured beef hanging from the smokehouse out back. She was impressed by the amount of meat in there and knew that her new husband was a planner. She felt safer out here in the wilderness knowing that Charles would look after them.

  To her disappointment, Charles did not show up for lunch and she herself found that her appetite had disappeared. Not knowing how to occupy herself, Lilly ventured out again and decided to take a short walk. The land was bordered by a forest on the western side, and she followed a trail through the trees.

  It was shaded and cool inside, but it was the vegetation that captured her imagination. Flowers sprouted from unlikely places, caught between tree trunks. Venturing further on, Lilly spied some wild spring onions growing in a cluster. She bent to gather as many as she could. She was amazed at all the discoveries she was making. She fought the urge to go on exploring the area. Reluctantly, she traced her way back, following the trail back to the edge of the forest. To her surprise, the sun had come down and when she squinted to adjust her eyes to the light, she almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Charles standing there glaring at her.

  “Where have you been?!”

  “I just went for a walk in the woods-”

  “Anything could happen to you in there!” he barked.

  Taken aback by the harshness in his voice, Lilly stammered in reply.

  “I was just exploring.”

  “This is not Pennsylvania. It’s wild and you can run into wild animals. Do you know how to use a gun?”

  Lilly shook her head.

  “Then I suggest you keep to the grounds of the cabin. I don’t have the time to be worrying about you, there’s much to be done before winter rolls in.”

  With that, he turned and stalked off. Humiliated, Lilly followed him, still clutching the wild onions she had intended to show him.

  SEVEN

  Montana, 3 weeks later

  Charles had found a way to deal with the presence of Lilly. He pretended she was just part of the scenery. He couldn’t think of her as his wife.

  Luckily, it was easy to ignore her as he had a lot of things on his mind. In the next few weeks, he needed to start preparations for winter, especially now that he had an extra mouth to feed. He looked at her now, sipping on her tea, her eyes downcast.

  She rarely spoke and that suited him just fine. In the evenings, she sat by the oil lamp and read her bible. The first couple of w
eeks, she had tried to involve him in her bible reading, but his stone-faced expression had put her off. He knew that by turning away from the bible, he was moving away from his faith, but Charles couldn’t bring himself to feel about the Lord as he had done previously. His faith had been shaken. He felt cheated of a bright future with a capable wife. Why would the Almighty forsake him?

  That first night, Charles had taken a good look at Lilly’s leg as he undressed her for bed, and he still remembered the unnatural length of that short leg. He couldn’t bring himself to invite her to his bed, so they lived as two strangers might, with as little conversation as possible and no intimacy. The promise of Psalm 128:3 came unbidden to his mind:

  “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.”

  The way things were that blessing was unlikely to be bestowed upon his household.

  Taking a deep sigh, he looked at his wife again. She seemed busy trying to make herself as unobtrusive as possible in her chair. She looked like such a fragile thing. How was she ever going to survive here, if she was left to fend for herself?

  The girl did not even know how to shoot or handle a gun. The thought of spending hours with her teaching her the intricacies of handling a weapon did not interest him in the least. He pushed that task to the back of his mind. Besides, he wasn’t planning on leaving the homestead soon, so that could wait.

  Charles downed the last of his tea and stood up. He looked at Lilly hesitantly, wondering how to frame what he wanted to say.

  “You’re doing a good job with the milking,” he finally muttered.