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

by Hope Sinclair

  “I would like to get married one day,” Ada confessed softly.

  Joanna turned to her in surprise. “I thought you were against marriage?”

  “I was, but after seeing the success our mail order brides have had, I think marriage to a good, frontier man can work,” Ada explained.

  At Ada’s reply, they sat in silence for a while. After a moment, Joanna looked up, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “I would hate to lose you,” she whispered, clutching the hem of her dress.

  “I have no intentions of going anywhere,” Ada replied. She was surprised at how hard Joanna was taking the mere mention of her leaving. It was uncharacteristic. She was not prone to hysterics.

  Joanna took a deep breath. “But lose you I shall and with pleasure, and not an ounce of regret. You see, I think I have the perfect man for you.”

  Ada shook her head. “I didn’t mean now. I’m not ready yet.”

  “Oh, come now, Ada, what are you afraid of?” Joanna probed.

  Ada kept her face straight but her emotions were in turmoil. How do you explain to someone what it felt like to have a large coarse hand slap you across your cheek, and a boot-clad foot kick you in the tummy and legs until you lost consciousness? Or spending the day locked up in a house like a prisoner, your senses alert to the return of your tormentor?

  Her mind knew that all men were not like Roderick, a man she had been married to when she was barely seventeen. Her heart understood though it took time to accept that there were good men out there and one of them could be hers.

  “I’m thinking of writing to one of these men from the West for myself,” Joanna confessed.

  Ada raised an eyebrow. She was startled by Joanna’s confession. She knew that the mystery of Joanna’s missing arm was intimately linked to a sad story of a beau. Although she did not know the details, it would have taken a lot of courage for Joanna to even speak of making a match of her own.

  “I’ve seen that Christian men we have sent our girl to make good husbands,” Joanna said.

  Ada wondered idly if Joanna was a Christian. She had never seen any evidence of her religiousness. She had not seen a bible or even a church visit on Sundays.

  Ada herself had been brought up in a poor house run by nuns. It was another memory she wished she could erase from her mind. They were nasty, those nuns in their white and black habits.

  They were quick to whip you with a cane if you so much as sneezed in church and even now, whenever Ada saw a nun on the rare days when she ventured out, she found herself crossing the road to the other side. It had seemed to Ada as though they had spent all of their days in church and a few hours in between learning how to read and write and then doing chores. The only good nun she knew was Mary Margaret Lay and she had only been a novice. Through the agency, she was now married to a saloon owner in California. The couple were blissfully happy. No, nuns were not her cup of tea.

  She knew about Jesus and how he died on the cross for sinners like her. As far as Ada was concerned, she wasn’t the sinner. The people who were meant to take care of her were the sinners. Her mother, whoever she was, left her at the door of the poor house when she was days old. The nuns provided her a roof over her head, food to eat, but nothing else. No affection and certainly no kind words.

  Then the handsome man who delivered supplies to the poorhouse had started to notice her and tell her things that had made her heart glow. Nobody had ever called her beautiful. Only Roderick in those early days when he was courting her. When he had proposed, she had accepted with her mind awash with dreams of her own home and a family.

  Roderick’s kindness had not lasted. As soon as the justice of peace had declared them man and wife, he had left her in the small room he rented and gone out to celebrate. He had returned a different man from the one who delivered soaps and flour to the poor house. For one, he had seemed angry with someone and too late, Ada had realized that person was she. In the two years they were married, the anger seemed to grow with each passing day. He had started by pushing her around and then kicking her and later punching her as though he was in a duel.

  How could she then believe in a fair God and a God who loved her when her own experiences proved otherwise? If God truly loved her as the nuns used to say, He would not have allowed her to suffer as she did. The only happiness and peace she had known in all of her twenty-three years, was when she came to work for Joanna.

  “There’s a gentleman from Nebraska and I think he would be just perfect for you—”

  Even before Joanna finished talking, Ada was shaking her head vehemently.

  “Hear me out first,” Joanna pleaded. “He’s a Christian and widowed with two children, girls aged five and seven.”

  The mention of the two girls reminded Ada of herself and then she told herself that there was no comparison. At least they had one parent.

  “The girls need a mother as I don’t know anyone kinder than you Ada,’ Joanna continued.

  Although she was shaking her head no, Ada knew in her heart she ached for a family of her own and to finally find a good man, that would love a cherish her.

  Joanna and she had made it work for others. Surely finding a match for themselves would not be such a challenge?

  TWO

  A Widowed Father

  Jacob looked up from the letter that he was reading as Elizabeth trumped in with a basket full of eggs. Following behind was Rachael, younger by two years. He frowned slightly at the rancor they were making with their feet. They looked up and when they saw his expression, they quieted down and proceeded to the stove to prepare breakfast. He returned his attention back to the letter.

  Dear Mr. Evans,

  My name is Ada Devine and I was provided with your advertisement by the Lexington Agency and I felt drawn to it. You mentioned that you have two girls and I would be honored to help you with raising them as your wife. I am twenty-three years old and I have lived in the outskirts of New York City all my life. I was raised in a poor house, so I am no stranger to hard work. I desire my own family and a place to call home with a kind and loving husband.

  I am a believer in the Lord and I was glad to read from your advertisement that you are a Christian. I believe that unions rooted in a Christian foundation are strong and the partners are committed to each other and the family.

  I hope my candidness in this letter is welcome, as I believe in being open from the beginning. I hope to hear from you soon.

  Sincerely,

  Ada Devine

  By the last few sentences, Jacob was nodding his head vigorously. It seems that this woman of God, Ada, held the same beliefs as he did. He felt an urge to meet her as soon as possible. He felt blessed to have found a suitable woman so quickly and he attributed it all to God. He decided to pen down a reply immediately. The sooner his daughters had a mother the better for all of them.

  Dear Ms. Ada Devine,

  Thanks be to God for your letter. I share your sentiments about unions between two God fearing people. My daughters could do well to grow up under the influence of a Christian woman. I am not a man given to waste a lot of time on nonsensical whims and so I will get straight to the point and invite you here to Nebraska to join and be part of our family. I have enclosed some money for your fare, and anything else you may need.

  Write and let me know when we can expect you. I wish you.

  God’s blessings on your journey.

  Sincerely,

  Jacob Evans

  He did not reread the letter again but instead, he sealed it and addressed it. He would post it later in the day when he went to the town. Jacob stretched and then moved his letter to the side when Elizabeth approached with his mug of tea. Her sister followed with a plate of scrambled eggs. He glanced at his pocket watch and saw that it was already seven, the time when he should have been on the fields plowing.

  “Hurry up, I must get going,” Jacob said impatiently.

  “Yes father,” Elizabeth replied and scurried to get her own and her sister�
��s breakfast.

  Minutes later, the two girls sat on the chairs opposite his and waited for him to bless the food. They ate quietly, the only sound breaking the silence was the gulps from Jacob as he swallowed his lukewarm tea. When he was done, he pushed his chair back, took his hat from where it hung on a nail on the wall.

  “Be good, I will be back for lunch,” he said, and with a slight tip of his hat, he left the house.

  He heard their whisperings as soon as he shut the door, and he wondered with slight irritation why they could not wait until he had gone out of earshot. He dismissed that question and thought about the day ahead. The corn was ready for harvesting and he wondered whether he should have taken the two girls with him to help with the harvesting.

  Such things bothered him. He did not know how to raise girls and what jobs they could do. Elizabeth did all the cooking and Rachael helped with cleaning up but beyond that, he had no idea what he was supposed to do with them. He missed Miriam with a longing that sometimes threatened to overwhelm him. At such times, he sternly reminded himself that it had been the will of God for Miriam to leave the world and it was not up to him to question His will. He rarely gave much thought to the baby boy who had passed on even before he had left the safety of his mother’s womb.

  As far as Jacob was concerned, had Miriam survived, they could have sired another child. Miriam was irreplaceable, and though he harbored hopes that the mail order bride, Ada, would turn out to be as God fearing as Millie, he would only believe it when he saw it. Millie had instilled admirable virtues in the girls. They were obedient and they rarely spoke in front of adults, a mark of respect as Jacob saw it.

  The farm was humble but the Lord had made it bountiful and they would not lack for anything when winter came. Jacob passed by the kitchen garden that Millie had so lovingly tendered to and admired the cabbage and peas ready for plucking. She had been a hard worker, his Millie and had matched his own hard work at the farm. She had taught Elizabeth how to milk their two cows and every morning, even before he woke up; Elizabeth had milked the cows and collected the eggs from the chicken coup.

  A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed it back. It was lonely with just him and the two girls. The only time he saw adults was when he went to town or on Sundays when the family went to church. Even the service was not every Sunday, only when the circuit preacher was in town.

  Miriam had been quite a talker and made the house feel full of life. They had a family tradition where they read the scriptures every evening and discussed them. He smiled now when he recalled Miriam’s ardor when she disagreed with his interpretation of the verse. He would sit back and listen to her, admiring her strong beliefs and her willingness to defend them.

  He had tried to keep the tradition going but now he merely went through the motions. He missed having someone to talk about the bible with. He had tried asking the girls a few times what they thought of the simpler stories such as the parables of Jesus. Their response was to stare at him with large green eyes, replicas of their mother’s.

  He hoped that Ada would turn out to be a talkative and insightful woman. More than anything, he missed having someone to confide in. Miriam had been just perfect for him. She shared most of his opinions except when it came to the scriptures. If only the Lord had deemed it right, she live longer.

  Jacob reached the plot of land where he grew the corn. The land was divided into four patches, and each patch contained a different crop. He waded his way in, pushing the leaves away from his face as he walked. In a short time, he was plucking the corn from the plant, throwing it to the ground before going to the next.

  THREE

  The Departure

  Ada buried her face in Joanna’s shoulders. Unable to fight the tears any longer, she let them flow. She clung to her friend, feeling as though she was about to let go of the only person who had ever loved and cared about her. Finally, Joanna gently detached herself and smiled gently at her.

  “Thank you for everything,’ Ada said with emotion.

  She did not have to explain herself. She knew that Joanna would understand how loaded her gratitude was. From the moment she had shown up cold and hungry, Joanna had taken her in. She treated her like an equal. She was the reason Ada finally succumbed and replied to a gentleman in Nebraska.

  Joanna nodded now, tears glimmering in her own eyes.

  “Take care of yourself. Do you have everything you need?” she asked.

  Ada giggled, “That and more,” she replied, looking down at her two large trunks crammed with clothes from Joanna and a few presents and dresses for the girls.

  Joanna laughed with her. “Don’t forget to write to me as soon as you arrive, all right? Else I’ll come down on the next train.”

  “I won’t,” Ada answered in a fierce voice.

  Her trunks were stashed in the luggage area and then with a final wave to Joanna, she entered the middle carriage. It was full of passengers and she found a seat between two women.

  Ada sat stiffly, her mind awash with worry. The steam train slowly eased out of the station and at the sound of the wheels on the track, tears ran down her cheeks. She felt alone in the world. She hoped that she was not making a mistake by going West. Would she have been safer remaining with Joanna? Now she would never know, having already made her decision.

  “Where are you headed to?” the woman on Ada’s left asked.

  Ada had no wish to make conversation and she mumbled a vague reply. The woman got the message and turned to speak to the person on her other side. Ada did not sleep much nor did she have much interest in the scenery unfolding as the train journeyed on. By the end of the week long journey, Ada was tired physically and emotionally from fretting.

  Finally, the train eased into the depot in Ledford town. Her stomach heaved from nerves and for a moment, Ada thought that she would retch the stale bread and water she had taken hours ago. She told herself to calm down and unclenched her fists. She knew to look for a man in a dark suit with two girls in tow.

  The first people Ada noticed when she stepped out of the carriage was a well-turned-out man in a dark suit, a folded handkerchief in his suit pocket and two sweet looking girls standing with him, but what drew her attention was the contrast between the man and the two girls. While his hair was combed to the sides neatly, the girls’ hair was unruly and looked as though they had not seen a comb in days.

  The man loosened his grip on the girls and he took a step towards Ada. She knew immediately that he was Jacob Evans. She liked his looks but the state of his daughters put a cold compress on her heart and her brain searched for answers to questions regarding their welfare. Could he not see just how short and torn their dresses were?

  Ada was glad for the gifts of clothes that she had brought with her. She would also buy some material to add more garments for the girls.

  “How do you do?” Jacob said, smiling at her.

  Ada was taken by surprise by his smile. He had seemed so stern standing at the platform with his daughters, but when he smiled, his whole face lit up and he became handsome and friendly.

  “How do you do? Are you Mr. Evans?” Ada said.

  She had envisioned a scene such as this one many times, as the girls from the agency went to meet their prospective grooms. It felt odd now, to be the one in that position. She had always wondered how it felt when the brides met their husbands to be. She looked into herself and identified the emotion as wariness.

  Ada had always imagined it to be a romantic moment when the bride jumped into the groom’s waiting arms and the couple clung to each other, glad to be together finally. It was far from the reality. Standing before her was a perfect stranger and she could not imagine embracing him.

  Jacob beckoned his daughters and they moved stiffly, holding hands.

  “Meet Elizabeth and Rachael. Elizabeth is seven years old and Rachael is five,” Jacob said.

  Ada noticed that his friendly tone disappeared when he spoke to his daughters. The girls turned to her w
ith enchanting green eyes. As soon as they made contact with hers, they looked back down.

  “Hello, girls. My, aren’t you pretty!” Ada said, smiling at the girls though they did not look up.

  “Which is your luggage?” Jacob commanded briskly.

  Ada pointed out to her two large trunks and Jacob frowned but did not utter a word. His reaction though, made Ada feel as though she had carried too much, but there was nothing to be done now. He heaved the two cases and the three of them followed him out of the station. A wagon was parked to the side and Jacob stowed her luggage in without a word.

  “We are going to the church now for the preacher to wed us,” he said crisply and proceeded to help the two girls into the wagon.

  Ada was horrified. She would have thought that he would at least ask her what she thought of the idea. She looked around and saw people milling around them and getting into their own buggies and wagons. Unwilling to make a scene, she swallowed hard and followed the girls into the wagon.

  The church was only a few minutes away, and as soon as the wagon came to a halt, Ada jumped out and then helped the two girls out. It was a wooden structure, a little small, not that she was much conversant with churches, having never attended a church service. She looked at the two girls and herself in dismay. Ada wore a decent cream dress but it was now wrinkled and with dirty spots.

  They were hardly attired to attend a wedding. Ada had thought they would go straight to the farm and spend a few weeks getting to know each other before getting married, but Jacob spoke in a manner that did not leave room to question him. The ceremony passed in a daze for Ada and she repeated her vows automatically, giving no thought to the words coming from her mouth.