She snapped out of her shock and cleared her throat. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
“Alright,” he said. “I’ll be in the kitchen. When you leave this room, take a left down a few paces. The table’s on the right. You can’t miss it. It’s the one with the chairs around it.”
Despite her sudden bout of nervousness, she found herself laughing at his joke. There wasn’t much to the small cabin. It wasn’t anything like the place she’s grown up in. Now, that was a home one could get lost in.
“I’ll be right there,” she said once she stopped laughing.
Though she was as ready as she could get, she couldn’t bring herself to leave the safety of the room. Not yet. She needed another few minutes to gather her composure. It was the same thing she had to do before the balls where her parents would introduce her to prospective suitors.
Most of the gentlemen found other—prettier or curvier—ladies to entertain, though she had a couple who’d paid her interest. She often suspected it was her father’s wealth that had attracted them. Out here, though, she had no money. She had to stand on her own merits. She just wasn’t sure she had any. At least not yet. She’d have to learn to cook and sew and do other things wives out here did. Maybe then she’d have something to offer that was worth Eric’s interest.
She released her breath and arranged her dark hair around her shoulders then pinched her cheeks so they’d get the rosy color her mother said gentlemen liked so much. But when she looked at herself, she couldn’t help but think there was nothing she could do to make things any better.
Whether she was dressed in an exquisite ball gown or whether she wore a simple cotton nightgown, the effect was essentially the same. She couldn’t help but wonder if the woman Eric was supposed to marry—the one named Allison Jones—was beautiful like so many of the other ladies back in South Carolina.
What could have come up that stopped Allison from making the trip out here? Did she come across a gentleman along the way who was so captivated by her beauty he had to propose marriage? It had happened to one of Caroline’s childhood friends a year after the war ended. Evelyn had been determined to head out to Texas to marry a widower with young children, and Caroline and her other friends had waited anxiously back in South Carolina to find out if the man Evelyn went to marry was as promising as he sounded in the missives.
But then, when they finally received correspondence from Evelyn, they learned Evelyn met a young gentleman on the train, and the two started talking and the next thing she knew, she’d fallen in love with him. The two got off at his hometown and married. Evelyn had assured her friends she let the man in Texas know what happened. Since they had all read the missives the widower had written to Evelyn, Georgette, who said he sounded like a good person, went out to marry him instead.
Georgette reported wonderful things from her marriage, and it was then the others, Caroline included, sought out gentlemen out West to marry. There were so many to choose from. They had their pick. Caroline had been the last of them to make the journey. It took Bee’s prompting to finally do it.
Caroline wiped a tear from her eye. She missed Bee. After her mother’s death, Bee had stepped in and assumed the role, even though growing up, Bee had been one of the slaves Caroline’s father had owned. The war, naturally, had changed all of that. The war had changed so many things.
A soft knock jerked Caroline out of her memories. Pulling her shoulders back, Caroline went to the door and opened it, wondering if Caleb had woken up and was scared or if the blankets on the floor he’d been sleeping on were uncomfortable.
But as it turned out, it was Eric. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to take so long. My mind wandered, and I lost track of time.”
“You’ve had a long day,” he replied, once again giving her a smile that helped put her at ease. “I thought maybe you’d fallen asleep. It was so quiet in here.”
“No. Would you believe I’m wide awake? I think all the activity of the day is going to make it hard to sleep.”
“Well, come on out here, and we’ll relax with some cider. It always helps when I have trouble sleeping.”
Did that mean he wasn’t planning to be intimate with her tonight? As much as she wanted to ask, she didn’t dare. Not when it was something so personal…even when that personal thing had to do with him.
She gave one last look at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t see anything under her nightgown. But then, maybe the kerosene lamp wasn’t as bright in here as it would be out there.
Oh, this was ridiculous! He was her husband. Of all the people to see her immodestly dressed, it should be him.
She stepped out, mindful of the cool floor beneath her feet. He went to the couch where two cups were resting on a small table in front of him.
She had no idea being alone with him was going to be so nerve-racking. Indeed, she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. Well, she knew this evening was going to happen. It wasn’t like this came up as a big surprise or anything. She just had to get through it. Once she knew what to expect, it wouldn’t be so awkward next time.
Eric glanced her way and waved her over. “You can’t see the moon from over there.”
For the first time, she noticed the couch faced a large window. Then she noticed the kerosene lamp in the room was turned down lower than the one in the bedroom had been. That meant she’d be harder to see in the dim light.
Feeling better, she went over to the couch and sat next to him, choosing to leave a small space between them.
He handed her a cup. “Have you had apple cider before?”
She nodded. “Yes. Usually, I drink it when the weather gets cooler.”
He leaned back in the couch and put his legs up on the table in front of them. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him why he did that. No one would dare put up their feet on a table, especially when they had boots on. But this wasn’t South Carolina. For all she knew, all the people did this out here.
“What are you used to drinking?” Eric asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.
“When it was hot, I used to drink cool tea or lemonade. When it was cold, I’d take my tea hot or have some cider.” She lifted the cup and took a sip. “It’s good.”
“It’s my favorite drink,” he replied. “My mother taught me how to make it when I was a child.”
“Did you grow up here?”
“No. I came here about three years ago.”
“You don’t sound like I do. I take it you’re not from the South.”
“No, I’m not. I grew up in New Hampshire. I did odd jobs for a while from state to state, but there comes a time when a man wants to settle down, find a permanent job, and get married.”
She took a drink of the apple cider, thinking she hadn’t tasted anything this wonderful in years. It’d been a long time since she’d had anything but cheap coffee or water that couldn’t be all that clean. Forcing her attention back to him, she asked, “Is that why you came here? To get the permanent job and to find a wife?”
“I didn’t think through the marrying part when I decided to come all the way out here. I wanted a position where I could make a difference for the better.” He paused then added, “I didn’t fight in the war, but I helped the slaves escape along the underground railroads. Even then, things didn’t always go smoothly. We’d get caught from time to time, and not everyone made it.” He shrugged. “I guess I feel compelled to do what I can to make things better for those who can’t help themselves. I heard the people here needed someone to step in and protect them, and I couldn’t resist.”
“You mean, bad things happen here?”
“Bad things happen everywhere. Out here, though, one person can make a bigger difference than they could back East.”
She took another sip of the cider, weighing his words and wondering how much she ought to tell him. The last thing she wanted was for him to regret his decision to marry her. But she had to be honest with him. “You know I came from the So
uth.”
“Yes, I recall you mentioning that.”
“I grew up on a plantation where we had slaves. Doesn’t it bother you? We come from two completely different worlds.”
He turned his gaze to her, and she noted the tenderness in his eyes. “You brought Caleb with you. I don’t think we’re all that different.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. After being spit on by several Union soldiers, she hadn’t expected his response.
To her surprise, he scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She’d thought being touched by a stranger so soon would alarm her, but this had the opposite effect on her. She felt comforted. It’d been a long time since she’d experienced anything so nice. She quickly brushed away her tears in case he noticed them. She’d had enough of crying and wondering why things had to turn out the way they had. What she most wanted, more than anything, was to be safe.
“Everything will be alright,” Eric whispered. “Think of this as a new start. Out here, you can have a second chance.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. That was what she had most hoped for in coming all the way to Colorado. Perhaps it was possible. Perhaps this day had marked the beginning of something better than she’d ever dreamed possible.
“I’d like that,” she admitted.
“Then don’t bother yourself with the past. Leave it back in South Carolina.”
He lowered his head toward hers, and it seemed to be the most natural thing in the world to close her eyes and tilt her head back to accept his kiss. Beyond the pecks on the cheek or kisses on her hand at the balls, she hadn’t had a real kiss.
She had no idea what to expect, but the moment his lips touched hers, she felt a spark go right from her head to the tips of her toes. Was kissing supposed to feel this way? To hear her childhood friend, Rachel, talk about the kiss one of her beaus had given her, one would think there wasn’t much excitement in it. Well, maybe that was why Rachel ran off with another gentleman. Maybe she’d known a mediocre kiss meant her beau was the wrong gentleman to marry.
Perhaps, just perhaps, this was a good omen. Maybe she hadn’t made a mistake in getting off the stagecoach when she came to this town. After all, Bee had often said whether people want to admit it or not, everything happened for a reason. It wasn’t up to people to figure everything out. All they could do was trust in the Lord’s guidance.
A series of frantic knocks at the door pulled Caroline down from the heights of the clouds and right back into the small cabin.
Eric put down his cup and rose to his feet. “I better find out what’s going on,” he told her as he crossed the distance to the door. He swung it open, and on the other side was a man who was twisting a hat in his hands. “Enoch?” Eric asked, his tone giving away his surprise. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at home with your wife?”
“I would be, Sheriff, except I got word that Benny is on his way to Abe Thomas’ place,” Enoch replied.
Eric went over to the hooks next to the door and retrieved his holster with a gun in it. “When did he head out there?”
“Probably twenty minutes ago. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen to reason.”
Eric slipped the holster around his waist then grabbed his hat. Looking back at Caroline, he said, “I’ll explain everything later, but I need to get going. Don’t wait up. I don’t expect to be back for at least a few hours.”
“Alright,” she replied, her voice almost a whisper. He had the same urgent look the Confederate soldiers hiding in her home had when the Union soldiers came. She’d known enough to stay out of their way then, and she’d do the same for Eric now.
In the next moment, Eric left the cabin, shutting the door behind him. She waited for a few seconds before curiosity got the best of her, and she ran over to the window to see what he was doing. She watched as Eric and the other man went into town, heading in the direction of the livery stable.
With nothing else to do, she finished her cider then put their cups in the sink. The cabin was eerily quiet once all the commotion from the day had died down. She shivered a moment but then reminded herself she wasn’t back in South Carolina.
Taking the kerosene lamp, she checked on Caleb, who could, thankfully, sleep peacefully in a brand new place. If she had a purpose here, then so did Caleb. There was a reason she’d found him when she did. More than that, there was a reason he’d trusted her enough to go in the stagecoach with her. Some day, she might know the reason. But for now, she just had to trust that Bee was right. And it was easier to do that now that she and Eric had shared such a wonderful kiss.
Feeling better, she went to her new bedroom, thinking too late she already had a kerosene lamp lit in here. She thought of putting the one she was holding back on the table next to the couch, but despite the fact that the cabin was a small one, a lot of shadows crept along the walls. She’d learned to never trust shadows. Too many things could be hiding there, and right now, her imagination played out all sorts of horrible things that could happen to a human being.
She closed her bedroom door, set the lamp next to the other, and decided to keep both lit. Once she was under the blankets, she curled up onto her side. As much as she’d been anxious about being with her husband this evening, she’d much rather go through the uncertainty of a wedding night than be snuggled up with a couple of blankets.
She considered bringing Caleb in so there’d be someone else in the room with her, but she quickly decided against it. Eric would be back, and there wasn’t room for the three of them. She’d just have to bide her time until he returned.
Thankfully, she was no longer in South Carolina. Here, her nightmares were only figments of the past. It was much easier to deal with one’s imagination than reality. After two full hours, she was finally able to drift off to sleep.
Chapter Six
It was well past midnight by the time Eric and Enoch made it back to town with the corpses of Benny McGowan and Gene Carter in the back of Abe’s wagon. Eric should have warned Abe right after he released Benny from jail, but he hadn’t believed Benny would resort to violence. More than that, he hadn’t realized Benny knew Gene.
Eric glanced back at the dead men as they rocked to the swaying of the wagon. Well, he wouldn’t make the mistake of ignoring Abe’s warnings in the future. If Abe said someone was trouble, he was going to take that warning seriously.
“This is all my fault,” Enoch mumbled from next to him.
Eric steered the two steeds into town, careful not to hit a nearby tree along the winding path.
“If I hadn’t tried to hurt Phoebe that day in the general store, nothing bad would have happened tonight,” Enoch continued, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.
“You can’t do anything about the past,” Eric replied. “All you can do is act better in the future. Tonight was a good start.”
Enoch glanced over at him, a trace of hope in his eyes. “You think so?”
“You told me Benny and Gene were on their way to Abe’s home. You risked their wrath by trying to protect Abe. That took a lot of courage.”
“I don’t feel courageous.”
“You don’t have to feel courageous to be courageous. Courage means you do what’s right despite your fear.”
“Maybe.”
Eric pulled the wagon to a stop in front of Benny’s brother’s house. “You stay here while I talk to Daniel.”
Without waiting for Enoch to respond, Eric jumped off the wagon and went over to the small log cabin home. He knocked on the door and waited until he heard footsteps from the other side before saying, “It’s the sheriff.”
The door opened, and Daniel whispered, “Not so loud or you’ll wake the children. What’s wrong?”
“Your brother and Gene Carter went up to Abe Thomas’ place tonight to kill Abe, and probably his wife and her mother. I shot Benny before he could shoot me, and Abe’s wife got Gene. Both men are dead in the back of that wagon.” He
pointed to the wagon, and Enoch looked away, as if worried Daniel would be upset with him. “Do you want a funeral for Benny?”
“Just a moment,” Daniel said then closed the door. A minute later, Daniel stepped outside, fully dressed, and walked over to the back of the wagon. “You say Benny’s back here?”
“Yes,” Eric replied, keeping up with him. “I want to make it clear that Benny is at fault here. Abe didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I’m not questioning your story, Sheriff. I’m well aware of how much Benny hated Abe. Being put in jail didn’t exactly put him in a better mood.”
“He wouldn’t have gotten put in jail if he hadn’t watched while Enoch tried to take advantage of Phoebe.” Recalling Enoch was within hearing, he quickly amended, “Enoch has seen the error of his ways. He warned me your brother and Gene were going to hurt Abe and his wife.”
“You don’t need to give me all the details,” Daniel told Eric. “Benny came to see me after supper, and he was so mad I thought his head was going to explode.”
“Did he mention anything about Abe?”
“No. He wanted to borrow a gun. My son was out hunting with it.” Daniel took a good look at his brother’s corpse. “It looks like he managed to get a hold of another one. You said you shot him?”
“Yes. When I got to Abe’s cabin, he was coming out of the barn. He pulled out his gun and shot in my direction, so I fired back.” Eric didn’t know whether Benny had been a lousy shot or if being knocked out in the barn for some time had made him miss, but Benny could have very easily gotten him instead. Forcing the realization aside, he added, “Would you like a funeral for him?”
“I know what he did was wrong, but it would help the family move on if we could say good-bye properly.”
“I understand. I’ll take him to Travis so he can get his body ready for the funeral.”
“What will you do with the other man?” Daniel gestured to Gene.
“I’m going to have Travis burn his body.”
Daniel nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He let out a sigh and shook his head. “This won’t be easy to tell Ma. She’s going to be heartbroken, but he brought it on himself.” He gave Eric’s shoulder a pat. “You did what you had to do.”
The Mistaken Mail Order Bride Page 5