Judith_Bride of Wyoming

by Hildie McQueen

  Moments later, fully dressed, Sean appeared at the doorway again. “I work at the stables, just a quick walk out the front door to the left. If you need anything, feel free to come there.” He looked to the child. “My daughter’s name is Bethany.”

  “Very well. Do you require anything for your midday meal? I will cook.”

  His eyes widened. “Hadn’t thought of that.”

  “I tell you what,” Judith said with a smile. “Bethany and I will expect you to come and get something to eat this afternoon.”

  After a hesitant nod, he turned away.

  The sound of the front door closing made Judith let out a breath. First things first. Set up a routine, become familiar with the house and then she’d cook and clean up a bit. Later, when Sean Montgomery came home, they would discuss how to deal with the living situation.

  Later that morning, while the baby slept, Judith got to work. The entire house was in pitiful disarray and in dire need of dusting and airing out. She opened windows. Then she took rugs outside so she could sweep and mop the floors.

  Since the only things she could find were dry beans and dried ham, she set a pot of beans to boil for supper. She cut up ham and chopped what was left of an onion and added those to the pot. Then she threw together a small batch of cornbread.

  By early afternoon, the house was much cleaner and smelled of cooking. There were still curtains to wash and the kitchen and bedrooms in much need of being scrubbed, but Judith felt good in the big difference in the dining area and the front room.

  She hummed while feeding the baby and prepared for the father to come for supper. When he appeared at the doorway, her stomach flipped.

  Although his clothes were soiled, his hair, face and hands were washed. He looked around the open space with round eyes. “You’ve done so much in such a short time.”

  She couldn’t help the surge of pride. “As you said, Bethany is a good baby. She’s been very helpful by keeping herself occupied while I straightened up.”

  “You more than just straightened up.” He peered down at the floor. “I’m not much of a housekeeper.”

  He sat at the table and ate while she walked around with the baby who’d begun to cry at seeing her father, wanting his attention.

  “Good afternoon.” A dark-haired woman opened the door after a quick knock and entered the house. Her eyes went straight to Judith, taking her in before her gaze slid to Sean who’d stiffened at her presence.

  Without waiting for an introduction, she walked straight to Judith. “How are you? I’m Eloise Jacobs, Sean’s sister.” Her smile was friendly and Judith immediately relaxed.

  “I’m Judith Murphy. Nice to meet you.”

  Eloise took the baby from her and hugged the child close. “I had to escape from my brood to come and ensure all was well.” She gave the back of her brother’s head a pointed look. “I’ve been helping care for Bethany. But it’s been hard for my brother. It will be so much better now that you’re here.”

  When Sean looked to his sister, there was a sort of communication between them that made Judith apprehensive. “You’ve probably not had a chance to discuss much, but…”

  “She just got here yesterday,” Sean interrupted her, but then said nothing else.

  After a moment of awkward silence, Judith had to ask. “Is there something wrong? With the baby?” She looked to the child who seemed content to play with Eloise’s necklace, her little hands making to grab it.

  “No, nothing like that,” Eloise said and then let out a sigh. “It’s just the living situation. Your reputation will be affected when people realize you live here. So I’ve taken the liberty of speaking to Father O’Reilly…”

  “Eloise, this is something I need to discuss with Miss Murphy. No need for you to intervene.” Sean stood from the table and stalked to his sister. He took the baby, who began to cry.

  “Oh, look at what you’ve done!” The siblings stared at each other until Judith finally took the child and calmed her.

  Judith spoke slowly, not quite making sense of what happened. “What did you speak to the priest about, Eloise?”

  Sean looked to her, his face mottled with a hard blush, while his sister suddenly seemed unsure.

  The woman moved to stand next to Judith and let out a breath. “I spoke to him about marrying you to my brother. It’s only the right thing to do. I found out you came here as a mail order bride for poor John Wilkins and, well, my brother needs a…wife,” she finished meekly and gave Sean a wide look. “I mean, you have to agree, it’s the only way to make the best of these circumstances. For you to marry Sean.”

  Judith could only gape at the duo. “Marry?”

  “It’s the only solution, of course,” Eloise said then let out a huff. “For goodness sakes Sean, say something.”

  His eyes met Judith’s and her heart thumped hard in her breast, whether in fear or excitement, she wasn’t sure. “Miss Murphy, will you consider marrying me?”

  Chapter Four

  His darn sister had never changed. Since childhood, she’d been bossy and determined. Being she was younger than him made it even more aggravating. At the moment, Sean wasn’t sure if Eloise butting in was a good or bad thing.

  On one hand, he would have gotten around to discussing things with the woman who now stared at him with her mouth and eyes wide open in shock. Truthfully, she was more than he could aspire to in a wife; pretty, pleasant and obviously, by the state she’d put the house in, very capable.

  Regardless of the fact that she’d come to Wyoming to marry a man she didn’t know, there had been an expectation of a different life. John Wilkins had owned a large ranch. His property was beautiful and would have afforded Judith a very different lifestyle than living in town with a blacksmith.

  It had been fortunate that he’d been able to find her to care for Bethany and, yes, he was in need of a wife. Not that he wanted one per se. However, since seeing the pretty woman, he’d not been able to think of anything else other than joining her in bed.

  When he’d woken that morning and found Bethany gone, at first, he’d panicked. But it had turned to a totally different situation at seeing the beautiful picture of the woman with his child in her bed. Her long auburn tresses loosened from a braid, framing the pretty woman’s face perfectly. She’d allowed him to move closer to ensure his daughter was well, knowing instinctively that, at the moment, he needed assurance of it.

  Now after the most awkward of proposals, he waited, hopeful she’d agree to be his wife. Judith looked to him, her eyes meeting his, as if searching for something. He didn’t look away and wished for the right words to assure her, but none came. Finally, he let out a breath and spoke.

  “Miss Murphy, I will ensure you are always provided for. I will give you time so that we may become acquainted with each other before…” He cleared his throat and gave his sister a pointed look. Thankfully, Eloise got the message he silently conveyed and, after taking Bethany from Judith, she went to his bedroom.

  Judith finally looked away, her gaze moving around the room. “I wondered how we’d deal with this situation. It had not occurred to me you would ask to marry me.”

  “Are you opposed to the idea of marriage?”

  Her eyes flew back to him. “No, of course not. As you know, I came here to get married. Obviously, the idea of marriage is much newer to you than to me. Tell me, Mr. Montgomery…what were your plans before I came here? Did you want to get married?”

  Honesty was his way, so he went to the table and pulled out a chair. “Please, sit down.”

  She did and he sat in a chair next to hers. “Six months ago, I had no plans to either marry or start a family. There was no one special in my life and, honestly, work takes most of my time. As you can imagine, things changed when a woman showed up with a baby, claiming she was my daughter. The mother was someone I’d known only briefly.” He let out a breath. His face heating at the implication of how he’d fathered Bethany. “The woman who brought the baby told me
Bethany’s mother was dead and although she was the grandmother, she was too ill to care for a baby.”

  Sean continued. “Miss Murphy, I don’t know if Bethany is actually mine or, perhaps, the other man’s. At this point, it doesn’t matter. She’s my daughter as far as I’m concerned.”

  “So things changed drastically for you all of a sudden.” Judith nodded. “I can certainly relate to that. I planned to continue to work in a factory in Massachusetts before a fire destroyed everything. I’d hoped to rent a place of my own and be independent. Although I aspired for a family, honestly I didn’t expect it.”

  Sean wanted to reach for her hand but refrained, not wanting to be too forward. “After Bethany came to live with me, I began considering marrying and a family. So to answer your question, as far as marriage, I’m not against it. Especially to you.”

  She blinked and a pretty blush colored her cheeks. “Very well. I think…” she left off and swallowed. “I think it’s best we do marry. I will do my best to be a good wife and come to care for you and Bethany and take care of this house. But Mr. Montgomery, if we marry, then I believe it’s best we follow God’s law and become husband and wife in every way possible. Which includes the consummation, of course.”

  Her words both shocked him and excited him. Without knowing what else needed to be said, he only nodded and searched his suddenly blank brain for more to say. The only thing that beamed bright was the picture of her in his arms and didn’t that just make him want to hurry though the wedding ceremony? “I’m sure my sister will let us know what arrangements she’s made. If I know Eloise…” He said the name louder so his sister would know it was safe to return. “…she’s already set a plan in motion.”

  After both siblings left, Sean to finish the work day and Eloise to meet with the preacher to set the marriage ceremony in motion, Judith fell into a chair and sat in stunned silence, not sure what to think. According to Sean’s sister, the priest had insisted on marrying them immediately. But she’d asked for at least a week to get things together. After all, what would the priest do? Come and drag her away?

  The house was quiet, except for the soft sounds of the wind outside and the chirping of birds through the window. The peacefulness helped her settle. Upon Sean’s return, she’d begin prompting him for conversation so they could get to know each other better.

  For one thing, before she married the man, she’d at least like to spend an entire day alone with him. A part of her felt grateful for the respite, but it’s what she would have also asked of the now deceased John. It was best they spend some time getting to know each other before marrying. Sean was willing to pay for her to stay at a boarding house until they exchanged vows. She’d informed him it was neither here nor there now, as she was already ensconced in his house.

  She assessed the house. It was a small home with a large front room that consisted of a kitchen and eating area and a small space with several chairs and a rocker. Judith wondered absently if someone had gifted Sean the chair after Bethany came to live with him. To the left of the room were two bedrooms, one larger than the other. The one she was presently sleeping in was the smaller of the two. Behind the kitchen were a privy and another smaller room that was used for storage.

  It was best to get her mind off the marriage, so she let out a long breath and decided to concentrate on doing what she could to make the home more presentable. Although there was something akin to curtains over the windows, they’d seen better days. The dingy, threadbare fabric framing the windows barely served as a covering and certainly did little for privacy. “This certainly will not do,” Judith mumbled. “Not for the home of a seamstress.”

  She lifted the baby and smiled at her when the dark eyes met hers. “You are definitely Sean Montgomery’s daughter.” The baby cooed in response as if agreeing. “We’re going out, Miss Bethany. Surely the mercantile cannot be too far.”

  Since there wasn’t a carriage of any kind, once she’d combed her hair and bundled the child, Judith set out to find fabric for curtains.

  It was a cloudy day, but the weather did not dampen her spirits. With a plan to sew curtains and perhaps some pillows for the chairs to brighten up the house, Judith looked forward to perusing through the fabrics. It was easy to find the mercantile, as Sean’s home was at the end of the same street. Unsure of how to explain who she was, she decided to tell the truth.

  “Good morning.” A woman smiled broadly as Judith walked into the mercantile. It was a large store with bins filled with every item one could think of. Shelves were replete with notions, pots, pans and jars. On one wall, there were a variety of baskets and miscellaneous household items that made Judith itch to purchase. She considered the money she’d brought and being that she’d now have a home, she felt relief at knowing she could shop and purchase things that would otherwise be considered frivolous.

  The woman came to her and grinned at the baby. “She’s getting bigger by the day.” Her eyes met Judith’s. “I’m Lorna Brown. You must be Judith, Bethany’s caregiver.”

  It took her aback for a moment. But she quickly realized it was a small town and everyone there probably already knew she’d arrived to marry a dead man. Certainly a mail order bride was fodder for gossip. The news would have spread quickly.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Judith replied, suddenly feeling unsure of what people thought of her. She reconsidered the purchase, not wanting to seem eager to take over Sean Montgomery’s home. “Just out for a walk, to get familiar with the town and all.” Her cheeks felt hot and tears stung for some reason. Mortified, she looked away blinking back the tears.

  “Welcome to Bent Pass, dear.” Lorna hugged her around the shoulders and then guided her forward. “I imagine the selection here is certainly lacking compared to the large stores back east. But my husband and I do what we can to bring as much of a selection as possible.” Seeming to understand, Lorna motioned to where bolts of fabric and sewing notions were. “I do take pride in the different types of fabric we have. It’s one of my favorite things to purchase. Do you sew?”

  “I’m a seamstress,” Judith replied weakly.

  Lorna Brown gasped. “Well that certainly is good fortune for Sean. That house of his could certainly use a woman’s touch.”

  A weight lifted from Judith’s shoulders. She relaxed, liking the woman immediately and wanting to hug her again for being so friendly to her. “Yes. I thought the same thing.”

  “Let me take the baby so you can browse. Then, how about a cup of tea?”

  Now she couldn’t help the tears. When she sniffed, Lorna’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry did I say something to hurt your feelings?”

  “No. No, of course not. It’s just that you are so nice to me and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed.”

  Once again, the woman hugged her. “Of course you do, dear. It is a lot to take in. Come on to the back. Let’s have some tea and it will give you time to settle down. Martin, my husband, can mind up here.” She turned and called out over her shoulder. “Martin, I’m sitting down for a cup of tea with Miss Judith.”

  A man she’d not noticed stood up from where he’d been sitting. Unlike Lorna, who was large-boned with a broad face and expressive eyes, Martin Brown was tall and thin as a reed. He wore spectacles and barely gave them a glance. “Yes, of course. You go on, dear. I’ll be here.” He nodded at Judith. “How do you do, Miss?”

  “Fine, thank you,” Judith replied to the man who’d already returned to a book he held.

  “Martin prefers the literary world over reality I’m afraid,” Lorna explained with a warm smile directed at her husband. “He’s not much on talk.”

  “I love to read,” Judith replied, which earned her a second glance from Mr. Brown.

  “Will you be making a new dress for the wedding?” Lorna asked as they settled into chairs on opposite sides of a small, square table. “I have the most beautiful green fabric that will suit your tone and eye color.”

  Judith had explained to her the circu
mstances of the upcoming marriage. For some reason, she felt comfortable sharing with the woman, with her lack of judgment and welcome attitude.

  “I hadn’t thought on it. I don’t think I have time. I’d brought one with me to wear. It is an off-white dress. It seems wrong to wear it to marry a different man. It’s not that important, I’ll wear another one I have.”

  Lorna huffed. “Don’t be silly. Of course it’s important. It is your wedding day. You deserve to wear a nice dress to mark the special date. I’ll help you. When is the wedding?”

  “I don’t know.” Judith sighed. “I’ll have to ask Eloise. I doubt Sean knows. In a week or so.”

  With a sly smile Lorna leaned forward. “And with such a handsome groom, who would care if it’s not put off too long.”

  “Oh goodness,” Judith felt her cheeks flame and both of them giggled like schoolgirls. “I am so glad that I came here today. I hope you don’t mind if I presume too much as to call you my friend.”

  “Of course not, honey. We will be fast friends, I can feel it.” Lorna looked to a makeshift crib they’d fashioned from a crate lined with a blanket. “Now that she’s sleeping, go and shop for fabrics. I will keep an eye on the baby.”

  An hour later, with a promise to meet the following day for tea, Judith left with bundles of fabric, notions and ingredients for a hardy stew and bread.

  Her spirits lifted at knowing, perhaps, life had finally handed her a good deal.

  Chapter Five

  Sean was surprised to find the house empty when he’d gone home for the midday meal. Judith had left a note explaining she’d gone to fetch items at the mercantile. He’d eaten cold beans and returned to the stables.