Patience_Bride of Washington

by Caroline Clemmons

  “How long before the train?” She nervously pleated the sheet she held to her bosom.

  He took out his pocket watch. “You have an hour and fifteen minutes before we have to leave the hotel. I overslept or I’d have given us more time. If you’d rather wait and take tomorrow’s train, we can.” He wanted her to say she would.

  She pushed aside the cover. “Tempting. I’m sure I could sleep for days, but we’d better go face Andrew and explain.”

  Disappointed, he had to agree with her. The sooner they got that over with the better. “While you get dressed, I’ll go settle up with the hotel.”

  Patience dressed with care. What an unusual trip this had been. She could never have predicted this weekend’s events. Although secretly relieved, she dreaded explaining to Andrew. She had been keeping her thoughts of Stone and their situation firmly at bay, but now it was time to face his father.

  By the time Stone returned, she was dressed and had her things from last night packed. She took the lovely ball gown across the hall to pack in her larger luggage so as not to crease the dress too badly. After retrieving the jewel chest, she placed her necklace and earrings inside then tucked the case inside the valise she would keep with her. She surveyed the room to be certain none of her belongings were omitted.

  Once aboard the train, Marianne immediately fell into conversation with her seatmate and spared not even a glance to Stone or her.

  On the way to Destiny, Patience tried conversing with Stone. “Have you thought what we’ll tell your father?”

  “What? No, I’m sure we’ll think of something once we’re home.” His fists clenched in his lap.

  “Are you sorry that we’re married?”

  He sent her an absent-minded stare but captured one of her hands in his. “No, I told you how much I’ve enjoyed our time together. And that you’re a real asset to the company, too.”

  She fell silent. Enjoying our time together was hardly the same as being glad they were married. She didn’t expect his profession of undying love but more of a response would have been welcome. She glanced across the aisle and noted Marianne dozed. Before long, Patience fell asleep against Stone’s shoulder.

  They barely had time for lunch before they arrived in Destiny. Patience was an untidy mess of mixed emotions. While she dreaded telling Andrew what had happened, she looked forward to marriage with the man she’d come to love. They disembarked with other passengers and walked along the platform.

  “There’s Schmidt. Aunt Marianne, will you please go home with us to help explain to Dad?”

  “I wouldn’t dream of missing that.”

  Patience was silent on the way to the Kincaid home, now her home. The longer they delayed, the more anxious she became. Once they’d arrived, Andrew led them into the parlor and sent Emily for refreshments.

  Andrew peppered Stone with questions, triumphant that the contract with Lortz had been signed. “I never doubted you two could pull it off. Can’t tell you how proud I am.”

  Stone looked at Patience then launched into his explanation. “There was one addition to the plan, Dad.” He explained, starting with Marianne saying they were engaged. When he reached the part about their wedding, Andrew’s reaction was not what they’d expected.

  His face beamed with pleasure. “Congratulations, son. That’s what I wanted all along. I knew you’d never send for a mail-order bride for yourself and that the rumors here meant you’d never get involved with a local woman.”

  He pulled Marianne to his side. “Marianne and I have wanted to marry since last fall, but I knew you would resent anyone who you thought tried to replace your mother unless you fell in love and knew how I feel.”

  Stone’s expression went from astonished to furious in seconds. “You planned this? What if we hadn’t cooperated with Aunt Marianne’s maneuvering us together? Would you have left Patience with nowhere to go or married her knowing she was wrong for you?”

  Andrew held up a hand. “Now, son, you know I would never have left Patience without resources.”

  “And what makes you think I wouldn’t have approved of you and Aunt Marianne marrying? I’m not a child. She’s always been a part of our family. Why couldn’t you just tell me your friendship had grown into love?”

  “I wasn’t you’d agree. You’ve clearly indicated no other woman was worthy of stepping in as my wife. But I had faith that if you and Patience worked together and got to know one another, you two would fall in love and marry, which is what happened. So, everything turned out for the best.”

  “For the best? You think Patience enjoyed being forced to marry me? You think I wanted a bride who had no choice about a wedding?”

  Marianne said, “Stone, she had a choice. She could have refused.”

  “And cost us Lortz’s contract? You think either of us wanted to risk that? You two should be ashamed of yourselves. You haven’t heard the last of this.”

  He turned to Patience and clasped her shoulders. “I’m sorry to leave you right now, but I have an urgent errand in town while you unpack. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  “All right.” What did he expect her to say?

  She had listened to Stone’s protests with a breaking heart. Clearly, he didn’t love her and resented their marriage. When she’d initially thought about Andrew as a groom, she had believed she could settle for marriage with a man she admired and for whom she had a fondness.

  Then, she’d become attracted to Stone. Attracted? She’d fallen in love with him.

  When she and Stone wed, she’d thought she could settle for him being pleased with her as an asset to the business and proud of her. Now she knew she couldn’t live that way. He wasn’t like Andrew for whom she felt only fondness.

  She couldn’t live with Stone without his love. What if he fell in love with another? She loved him too much to tie him to her and prevent his happiness. If he didn’t love her, she’d set him free.

  Andrew and Marianne were engrossed in one another. Patience picked up her valise and removed the jewel case, which she hurriedly placed on Andrew’s chair in the library. Then, she slipped out the door. She stood in the shadows while Stone saddled a horse and took off.

  When she saw Schmidt driving the wagon, she flagged him down. “Are you going after the luggage?”

  He tipped the brim of his cap. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “May I ride with you?” Without waiting for a reply, she set her valise in back and clambered onto the wagon seat.

  “This ain’t a fit ride for a lady like you, missus. I can hitch the buggy in a flash.”

  “This is fine. I’m in kind of a hurry.” She settled her skirts and faced forward.

  “If’n you say so.” He clicked the reins and the team started moving again.

  Once in town, she told Schmidt to recheck her luggage because she was going to visit her sister. She bought a ticket to Nampa and boarded the train. Luckily, the layover of the Tacoma train was long enough she’d just made her ride. She found her seat near the window. Looking out as the train pulled away, tears ran down her cheeks because her world had crumbled

  Chapter Twelve

  Stone was furious. Not only had his own father plotted against him, but his so-called best friend had let him take the blame for Ralph abandoning his own child. He knew where Ralph would be at this time of day. He headed to the saloon and found his former friend nursing a beer with Tom and some other men he knew.

  “Hey, Stone. Back from Tacoma, I see. Come to have a beer with us?”

  “No, I came to have it out with you, Ralph. How could you let me be blamed when you’re the one who fathered Lottie Ames’ child?”

  Ralph set down his beer and raised both his hands. “Hey, you got it all wrong. She said you were the one.” He backed away, fear in his eyes.

  Stone pressed forward. “But we both know that wasn’t possible. You were the sorry cuss who abandoned her so your daddy wouldn’t find out.”

  “You’re crazy.” Ralph looked around. �
��Are you men going to let him get away with this?”

  Tom crossed his arms. “I’d like to know where this is leading. Ralph, is what Stone says true?”

  Ralph resembled a cornered animal. “Aw, you know what a liar Stone is.”

  “You’re the liar.” Stone swung and connected with Ralph’s jaw.

  The two traded punches and were evenly matched, had Stone not been so angry.

  When others would have assisted Ralph, Tom broke a beer bottle and held it like a weapon. “This confrontation is between those two and the rest of you better stay out of it.”

  Stone toppled Ralph onto his stomach and sat on his back. He pulled Ralph’s arm behind him. “Now, admit you were Lottie’s lover and the father of her baby.”

  Ralph gasped, “All right, all right. What difference does it make now? She’s not around and I’m married.”

  “I’ll tell you what difference, you lying cheat. You pretended to be my friend. For two years I’ve lived with a curse over me because of you. No decent woman in town would speak to me. I’ve endured rumors and hatred because of your betrayal. Do you hear? My life was ruined because of you.”

  Those gathered around mumbled and moved away. Except for Tom Mercer and Jeff Brittain, the owner of the Destiny Gazette newspaper, who stood beside him.

  Jeff watched Ralph stagger to his feet and leave. “Scurried away like the rat he is, didn’t he? Looks like I have a lead article for the next edition.”

  Stone took a gulp of the beer Tom handed him. “I have another story for you. I married Miss Patience Eaton on Saturday in Tacoma. Her parents are Moses and Dorothy Eaton of Lawrence, Massachusetts.”

  Jeff offered his hand. “Congratulations. About time good things happened to you. I’ll be sure to include that in a nice bordered announcement box.”

  After Stone had shaken Jeff’s hand, he shook the one Tom offered.

  Tom said, “I couldn’t be happier for you. Helen and I will want you and your wife to come to dinner soon.”

  “I’ll look forward to it. Now, I’d better get home and see my bride.” Stone polished off the beer and headed home.

  When he arrived, he rushed upstairs to see Patience. There was no sign of her. He ran down to look for her.

  Emily sent him a pitying look. “She took off right after you did. Schmidt left her at the station with her luggage. Said she was going to visit her sister.”

  Incredulous, Stone asked, “Did she say why?”

  Shaking her head slowly, Emily put a hand on his shoulder. “Schmidt claims she said something about not staying where she isn’t loved. You have some talking to do, but first I’ll clean up your face while you tell me what happened.”

  He sat at the kitchen table while she cleaned his cuts and explained the marriage and his rush to confront Ralph. “She knows I love her.”

  “Did you tell her you do?”

  He thought back. “I told her how much I’ve enjoyed working with her. That I’m proud of her for helping me. How I couldn’t have gotten Lortz’s contract without her help.” After a wince at Emily’s ministrations, he said, “I didn’t say it in so many words, but surely she knows.”

  Emily slapped him above his ear. “How would she know? Are you sending her telepathic messages? I swan, you talked to her like a business partner instead of a bride.”

  Stone wanted to bang his own head at his stupidity. There had been opportunities to tell her, but he had thought he’d made his feelings clear. “I’ve got to catch up to her and tell her I love her.”

  “Get your valise. You can’t go traipsing after her without a change of clothes. I’ll tell Schmidt to saddle a fresh horse.”

  He ran up to his room and grabbed clean clothes for a couple of days and shoved them into an old valise. By the time he ran out the door and climbed into the saddle, he waved at Schmidt. “Pick my horse up in town, will you?”

  At the train station, he confirmed that Patience had bought a ticket to Nampa, Idaho. “I want on the next train.”

  The ticket agent peered over his eyeglasses. “That’ll be tomorrow at four, Mr. Stone.”

  Stone was frantic. He stood to lose Patience unless he could talk to her. “Tomorrow? No, that’s too late. There has to be something going there now.”

  “Nothing until then, son, except freight trains. Like I said, no passenger trains going to Nampa until tomorrow.”

  “When’s the next freight train?”

  The agent consulted his timepiece. “One’s leaving in twenty minutes. No passenger cars on it, though.”

  “Give me a ticket on the freight train. Consider me a hundred-ninety-pound package I’m shipping to Nampa.”

  “That’s unlikely. No place for you to ride, you see.”

  “How about the caboose? There must be a small space where I can sit in there.”

  “You’ll have to check with the men assigned there. Likely they won’t welcome anyone crowding in their car.”

  “Look, just give me the ticket, I’ll convince them.”

  The agent shook his head. “No tickets for the caboose. You do what you have to, but don’t be surprised if you’re left standing on the platform when the train pulls out.”

  By offering a hefty gratuity, Stone was able to convince the crew to let him hitch a ride with them. Blood pounded in his ears as he examined everything he’d said to Patience. He hadn’t said he loved her in so many words because he was still reeling from the sensation.

  How could she fail to recognize that he wouldn’t have gone through with the wedding—Lortz or not—unless he loved her? Since Lortz and Marianne were the only two who knew Patience’s reputation had been compromised, he probably could have reasoned with Lortz. Now he knew Marianne orchestrated the entire scene.

  He’d wager Dad hadn’t been ill either. The way Marianne and Dad had manipulated Patience and him was galling. Why couldn’t Dad have been honest with him?

  He knew the answer. Because Dad thought you wouldn’t have listened, that’s why.

  But he didn’t mind Dad and Marianne marrying. Not at all. She was like family already.

  He joked with the crew about his mission. They spent all the way to Nampa advising him to grovel, turn around and go home without letting her know he’d come, toss her over his shoulder and let her know who was boss, and everything in between. He almost regretted throwing himself on their mercy to get a ride, but the men were well-meaning.

  The freight train stopped at most of the towns between Destiny and Nampa. As anxious as Stone was, the trip felt weeks long. When he reached Nampa, he thanked the crew and raced to the stage line ticket office.

  “When does the stage to Henderson Flats leave?”

  The elderly man at the ticket office hooked his thumbs in his suspenders. “Don’t leave ’til tomorree at noon. Like I told that lady, stage only goes out twicet a week. You jest as well git you a room over to the hotel and be comfortable.”

  “What lady? You told what lady?” He held his hand up to indicate Patience’s height. “Was she about this high with brown hair like a sunset shining on it and brown eyes the color of warm coffee?”

  The man spit into the cuspidor and grinned at Stone. “Couldn’t tell ’bout her eyes ’cause she was weepy like, but she was about as tall as you showed me. Now that I think on it, she had brown hair but she had on a hat.”

  “Did she go to the hotel? Which way is the place?”

  The ticket agent pointed. “If’n you turn around, you kin see it behind you ’bout half a block.”

  “Thank you.” Stone picked up his valise and ran toward the hotel, praying he’d find Patience there. When he arrived, he was winded and he’d had almost no sleep the night before. His last meal was at noon yesterday.

  He dashed up to the reception counter and set down his valise. “What room is Patience Kincaid in?”

  The clerk looked askance. “This is a reputable hotel and you can’t visit a lady in her room. Not that said lady is here, of course.”

 
“Look, I’ve traveled a long distance to be with my wife. Now tell me what room she’s in.”

  The clerk stuck his nose in the air and crossed his arms. “There’s no one by that name staying here.”

  “Aha, then she’s registered under her maiden name, Patience Eaton.”

  “I’m not at liberty to say.” The man pursed his lips.

  Stone jerked the register off the counter.

  The angry clerk grabbed his arm. “Here, now, that’s private property.”

  Clenching his jaw, Stone refused to relinquish the ledger and turned sharply. Still clawing at Stone’s arm, the other man skidded across the counter’s top and somersaulted to the floor with a whoosh.

  Scanning the recent registrants, Stone found the name he wanted, Patience Eaton, 204.

  The clerk looked up and shook his fist. “You can’t pry like this. Give that back this instant or I’ll summon the sheriff.”

  Stone dropped the book in the man’s lap. “There you are, just as you requested. Thanks for your help.” He picked up his valise and dashed up the stairs.

  When he reached Patience’s room, he paused and straightened his jacket and tie and smoothed back his wayward hair. After taking a deep breath, he rapped on the door.

  “Who’s there?”

  “Your husband, that’s who. Patience, please open the door.”

  The key rattled in the lock and then the she peeked out a four-inch opening. Her beautiful brown eyes were red and puffy as if she’d been crying. “Stone? Why are you here?”

  “You ran away and I came after you.” He edged his foot into the opening and widened the gap. “Did you forget we’re married?”

  “How could I? I’m going into business with Mercy in Henderson Flats so you can get an annulment and can marry a woman you love.”

  He slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. “I’m already married to the woman I love.”

  She blinked and her despair appeared to lessen. “Y-You are?”

  He grasped her shoulders gently. “How can you have a business with your sister when you’re in business with me in Destiny?”