by Sable Hunter
“He hates them, that’s why the man rarely sleeps. I remember him prowling the perimeter of the camp, expecting an ambush. When none came, I think he was disappointed.” Gentry hoisted a barrel of oil over his head as he helped the others reload the supplies.
“I don’t have a good feeling about this, my friends. I think I’m having second thoughts,” Jericho muttered as he stood in the back and arranged what the others handed to him. “The man is expecting a male cook. Male. We should’ve let King find his own wife.”
“I disagree.” Clay folded his arms over his massive chest and let out a long breath. “I think we did a good thing. King wouldn’t have done this on his own. He’s lonely and he’s hurt. He works too hard and he’s taking too many risks. He needs Anita Mae, she’ll be good for him.”
“I’m with the reverend.” Gentry pointed his finger at Clay. “Regardless, there’s no time for second thoughts. We’re too far gone with this plan to back out now. We’re just going to have to hope for the best.”
“I concur.” Clay smiled. “As the good book says, all things work together for good.”
“Right. Let’s be positive. She’ll be a pretty woman at his mercy. He won’t send her back. You know how King takes in strays,” Boone spread his arms. “What do you think we are?”
“I think we’re all crazy. The big man is gonna hog tie us to an anthill and douse us with honey,” Jericho replied. “And I’m afraid we just might deserve it.”
* * *
In a stagecoach headed south toward Waco, Texas …
Fancy kept her hands folded in her lap as she swayed and rocked with every jarring bump of the wheels turning over the hard ruts of the trail. She just knew her body was black and blue. Thoughts of where she might be bruised made her blush. Would her husband want to see her without clothing? The thought made her shiver. She wondered what Kingston Ramsay looked like. What kind of a man contracted for a wife without even seeing her? This worried her. Lifting a hand, she pushed a lock of hair away from her face, wishing she could be pretty for her new husband.
“Pardon me, madam, would you change places with me?”
Fancy jerked her head up to see the elderly gentleman across from her point to the window.
“I need a little air.” He cut his eyes to the large woman sitting next to him, snoring loudly.
“All right, yes.” Fancy held onto the side of the coach and stood to her feet. She was so weak that she thought she might fall headfirst into the man’s lap. How long had it been since she’d eaten? She couldn’t remember. “Are we almost to Waco?”
“Should be close, I recognize a few landmarks,” another passenger answered, the cowboy who sat to the right of sleeping beauty.
What should’ve been good news made Fancy nervous. She still couldn’t believe King Ramsay had answered her advertisement. Hardworking woman is desirous of opening a correspondence with a man in view to a matrimonial engagement. I am twenty-six years of age and possess a good moral character. I am also tolerably well-educated, considering my circumstances, and not afraid of hard work. I am thoroughly versed in the intricacies of homemaking and will toil from dawn to dusk to build a home. My appearance is passable. No serious offer will be rejected.
Yes, she was desperate. And yes, she’d fibbed in the appearance department. She had no illusions about her looks, just last week the Weeks boy at the church social had called her a scarecrow. What with her reddish straw-colored hair, her too big eyes, and gaunt body, he couldn’t really be blamed for his observation. Still, many people had overheard his disparaging remark, and none had argued. The only reason she’d stayed was for the food, the cookies and punch had been the only meal she’d eaten that day or the day before. Since Rastus Monroe had garnished her wages for the broken plow, Fancy had been unable to buy groceries.
When Kingston asked if she needed anything to make the journey, all Fancy had requested was payment for the stagecoach ticket. The only coin she possessed was her precious lucky piece. She had no idea of its value, but she would rather starve to death than try to spend it. To her, the old coin was priceless. So, there’d been no extra for food, she would eat once she was safely ensconced in her new home.
The thought made Fancy smile. Beginning her new life was an adventure. She had no idea what her future held, but whatever it was, it had to be better than her past.
* * *
Drumroll please…
A few hours later, Fancy stepped off the stagecoach and looked around, hoping to see someone waiting for her. There were plenty of people milling around, some on horseback, others on foot. She held her hand over her nose to keep the dust kicked up by the horses from choking her. As she stood, a feeling of trepidation swept over her. If no one came, what would she do? With a steadying breath, she made her way to the sidewalk to get her bearings. Looking up and down the bustling street, she noted the Sheriff’s office, the hotel, the newspaper/telegraph office, and a saloon.
“I’ll start with the newspaper office. They might know something.” She figured Kingston would’ve used the local Hearts and Hands agent as a contact when he sent her his offer. Placing a supportive hand on the side of the building, she made her way down the street.
Across the way…Reno Black considered his next move. His trip had proven to be a failure. The soldier wearing Cole’s sutler wasn’t his brother. He’d questioned everyone he could find at the military hospital, but no one knew the true identity of the injured man. After exhausting all avenues, he’d returned to Texas. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to give up, not after hearing the rumors of people who’d seen his brother in the days following his supposed death at Antietam. He’d been heading for the saloon to buy a drink before leaving for Kingsland, but somehow his feet changed directions. Giving up on Cole was impossible, not until he knew one way or the other. Making his way to the Herald’s office, he knew what he had to do. Hiring a Pinkerton detective would prove costly, but he needed to know one way or the other.
As soon as he pushed open the door, he was met by a strange sight. A young woman stood there in near tears, wearing a decidedly worn dress. The kindest thing he could say about her looks was that she had a pleasant smile. Her hair was a bright shade of red and she was much too thin.
“My name is Fancy Grace. Are you sure no one from King’s Ransom has been in today?”
“No, ma’am. I’m sorry. Perhaps you should get a hotel room and wait. If someone does come to fetch you, I’ll send them right over.”
Fancy hung her head. She didn’t have money for a hotel room…or even a meal. She was feeling lightheaded and weak. Making a grab for the counter she swayed on her feet. “I’ll just go outside and wait.”
Reno’s chivalry wouldn’t let him ignore the situation, even if the woman hadn’t mentioned King’s Ransom. “Excuse me, ma’am, let me help you.” Ignoring the questioning look from the newspaper clerk, Reno guided the gaunt young woman to a chair. “Sit right here while I take care of a bit of business, then I might be able to help you. I’m familiar with the folks at King’s Ransom.”
“Oh, you are? Thank goodness!” Immense relief flooded Fancy. “Thank you so much.” She let her eyes rove over the big man with the long dark hair. She knew this wasn’t King, or he would have said so. Perhaps they were friends.
Reno gave the clerk the information for the telegram, asking for a Pinkerton agent to contact him. In the interim, he would assimilate all the information on Cole and his last known whereabouts. After he paid for the telegram, he turned to the woman who’d been asking for someone from the ranch. Seeing her pale face, he wondered if she were ill. “Is there anything I can get you? Water, perhaps?”
Hating to ask, Fancy didn’t think she could go much further. “I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten in days and Kingston only sent enough money for the stagecoach ticket.”
Hearing his Captain’s name, his curiosity was aroused even more. “Well, let’s see if we can remedy this situation.” He offered the woman his arm. “We�
�ll get you something to eat and you can tell me what your problem is, and I’ll see if I can be of service.”
Fancy was so relieved, she didn’t even consider turning down his generous offer. “How kind of you.” She stood and clasped the man’s strong arm. “Do you know Kingston? Is he a friend of yours?”
As Reno led the woman out of the newspaper office and down the sidewalk toward the hotel dining room, he weighed his words. Until he knew what she wanted with King, he’d play his cards close to his chest. “You could say that, we served together in the war.”
“Oh. Well, I’m certainly glad both of you survived. So many lost their lives, it’s very sad.” She forced herself to stand upright and not lean on the solid man’s shoulder. “I don’t need much, I’m not used to much.”
Reno frowned as he led her into the eating establishment. This wasn’t the dinner hour, so they were the only customers. “Sit here, I’ll go see the cook and see what I can rustle up.”
Fancy did as he asked, so grateful for the turn of events. Doubt had nearly consumed her when she arrived and found no one waiting for her. Of course, this man wasn’t King, there might still be something amiss.
Reno returned with a bowl of beef stew and a piece of cornbread. He’d had to bribe the cook with an Indian Head Penny, but he had food for the damsel in distress. “Here, miss, eat up.”
Fancy accepted the warm bowl and began to dig in. “Oh, thank you.” She said between bites. “This is wonderful.” She closed her eyes as the food began to work its restorative magic. “I get so hungry sometimes, I need to take my time and savor every bite.”
Watching her eat, Reno was at a loss as to what was going on. He knew he needed to find out. He’d stopped by the livery stable when he’d arrived on the train to inform them he was ready to retrieve his buckboard and horse for the journey back to Kingsland. Before he could leave, however, he needed to determine who this woman was – and what she wanted with King. “My name is Reno Black, miss.”
She gave Reno a bright smile, one that transformed her face into…pleasant. She held out her hand. “I’m ever so pleased to make your acquaintance.”
He nodded and took her outstretched hand, just as a thought occurred to him, “Are you the new housekeeper for King’s Ransom?”
Fancy laughed. “Well, I’m sure I’ll be doing some housekeeping, for sure, but no. I’m King’s mail-order bride.”
Reno’s jaw dropped. He searched for words to convey his surprise. “Are you sure?” was the best he could come up with. The idea that Kingston Ramsay had resorted to ordering a mail-order bride was ludicrous.
“Oh, yes.” She dug the letter from her battered reticule. “See.”
Reno examined the sheet with the Missouri Democrat’s letterhead. Scrawled handwriting gave directions to one Miss Fancy Grace to meet representatives of Kingston Ramsay in Waco. “Well, this comes as a surprise. I had no idea.” The only thing he could think to do was escort the woman to the ranch. “I’ve been out of town, so I’m not sure why no one is here to meet you. However, I am on my way to King’s Ransom and I’ll be glad to escort you myself.” Once he delivered her safely, if there was some misunderstanding, they could work it out there.
“Oh, I am ever so grateful. Thank you.” Fancy finished her meal and stood to her feet. “I can’t tell you how overjoyed I am at the prospect of traveling to my future home. I am forever in your debt. I am most anxious to begin my journey and start my new life. I’m sure Kingston will appreciate you escorting me. Perhaps, whoever was supposed to meet me, met with some kind of difficulty on the way.”
Reno quelled the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. “I’m sure you’re right.” He escorted her from the restaurant and down the street to the livery stable, placing her bag in the wagon. “Allow me. Take ahold of my hand, madam.”
Fancy was feeling so much better. Everything looked brighter. Everything was beautiful. “One moment, please.”
Reno wondered at the delay, until he saw her move to the front of his team to address the pair of gray dapple mares.
“Oh, aren’t you beautiful! What are their names?”
“Uh…” Reno had to think. “Jericho calls them Stormy and Windy.”
“Stormy and Windy. Perfect names. I love them!”
He waited patiently while the woman made the acquaintance of two of King’ horses, giving them both kisses and hugs.
“I wish I had apples or carrots to give them.”
“Well, there’s a wild crabapple tree not far from the ranch house, I’m sure there are a few left lying on the ground.”
“Marvelous!” She came around to climb into the seat, holding tight to the hand Reno offered her. “I used to sell apples when I was a little girl.”
“Really?” Reno wasn’t able to shake the uneasy feeling he couldn’t explain. “Was it a lucrative business?” he asked as he lifted the reins and started them on their way. “Giddy-up.”
“Hardly. I ate more than I sold.” As they passed through the streets of Waco, Fancy couldn’t help but notice the stares of several people. Their curiosity was obvious. Despite her good fortune, she felt exposed, vulnerable, and very lacking.
* * *
…About four hours later, Boone pulled back on the reins, stopping the horse drawn buckboard even with the newspaper office. “Let me go in and see if they’ve heard anything from our bride. Since we communicated with her through the agents at the paper, she might have checked in here. Keep your eyes open for Miss Droddy, boys. Since we’re late meeting the stage, I’m not sure where she’ll be.”
“At least we know what she looks like,” Clay said, checking up and down the street. “I sure don’t see anybody who even resembles her standing about.”
“She might be at the hotel. I doubt we’ll just find her sitting on the street,” Gentry murmured as he gazed in every direction, his eyes searching for a blonde-haired beauty.
“Lord, help, I’m as nervous as a whore in church.” Jericho was sweating. “Maybe she changed her mind.” He loosened his collar, trying to get a little air. “King ain’t gonna be happy when he finds out what we’ve done. This woman ain’t gonna be happy when she finds out King’s not expecting her,” he muttered. “Ain’t nobody gonna be happy.” Damn. They were up shit creek without a paddle. One lie had led to another and now the day of reckoning was here.
“Just take it easy. All of this will work out, you’ll see.” He jumped down from the wagon and stepped onto the wooden sidewalk. The Waco Herald’s door stood ajar and flies were buzzing in and out of the opening.
Once he ventured inside, a young man wearing a full-length printer’s apron stood up from behind a desk. “May I help you, sir?” He started to offer Boone a greeting, but pulled his hand back when he remembered it was covered in ink. “My name is Horace Renfro.”
“Hello, I’m Boone Roberts. I’m looking for a young woman who was to arrive from Kansas City to meet Kingston Ramsay. My boss answered an ad she placed in the matrimonial column. We’re late getting into town to fetch her. We ran into a little trouble along the way. I thought she might have checked in with you?”
Horace gave him a speculative look. “There was a young lady here earlier looking for you. She was very upset, considering you didn’t arrive when expected.”
“Yes, Anita Mae Droddy. Bride elect of Kingston Ramsay. I’m sure she was upset. and we’ll be sure to apologize when we see her.”
“Hmmm.” Horace nodded, frowning. “I don’t believe that was her name. However, she did leave with…let me see. A man came in to send a telegram and found her.” He went to check the telegram information. “She left with a Mr. Reno Black.”
Boone barely heard Reno’s name, he was more stuck on the fact that the clerk had said the woman wasn’t Anita Mae Droddy. “What do you mean that wasn’t her name?”
“Sorry.” The clerk looked uncomfortable. “Her last name was Grace, I do believe.”
“She was supposed to be a beautiful blonde name
d Anita.” He knew his voice was coming across as harsh. Letting out a hard breath, he asked, “When did they leave?”
The clerk consulted his pocket watch. “About four hours ago.”
“Damn.” He hightailed it out to where the others were waiting.
“What’s wrong?” Gentry asked when he saw the expression on Boone’s face. “Where’s Anita?”
“Good question.” Boone took off his hat and slapped it against the buckboard. “I don’t think she came. I think the damn Hearts and Hands outfit made some kind of a mistake and sent the wrong bride. The clerk said the woman’s last name was Grace.”
“Well, where is she? Maybe we can get to the bottom of this thing.”
Boone laughed wryly. “Well, we can’t. She’s already gone. Left.”
“What?” Jericho asked from where he stood at the front of the team, letting the horses drink from a watering trough. “Where’d she go?”
“She left with Reno. Four hours ago.”
“Holy shit.” Jericho covered his face and laughed. “This would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. We are so fucked.”
Boone hung his head. “There’s only one thing to do. After we tend to the horses, we’ll head out and see if we can catch them.”
“I fear that will be a difficult proposition,” Gentry noted as he brought some feed from the back of the buckboard for the horses.
“I’m sure Reno will stop for the night to let the woman rest. We’ll keep going, that’s the only way we’ll overtake them.”
Boone shook his head and headed for the saloon. “I don’t know about you all, but while the horses catch their wind, I’m going to drink whiskey.”
With murmured consents, the rest of the group joined him, wondering at the whirlwind they’d released upon them all.
* * *
Farther on down the trail…
Fancy was talking too much, she knew she was – but she was nervous, and she didn’t know how to stop. “I’m so glad you came along when you did, Mr. Black. If you hadn’t, I probably would’ve tried to walk to the ranch. I didn’t want to disappoint Mr. Ramsay, not after he’s so kindly agreed to marry me. I know my weaknesses and I can’t afford to neglect so kind an offer, I probably wouldn’t get another one.”