He brought out his horse and yawned. Even though the Sheriff’s office wasn’t far, he preferred to ride. After all, you never know when you’ll need your horse. Besides, tacking up and then riding even that short distance helped to blow the cobwebs away. Getting out on horseback really concentrated his mind ready for work too.
So far the day had been like any other before it.
Wade brought his horse into a gallop on the dirt road in to town. He liked feeling the powerful muscles move in sync under him. Wade imagined himself a star in a rodeo show, a childhood dream that was now relegated to these brief moments of excitement and freedom on the way to work as the wind ruffled his hair.
But by the time he dismounted outside the Sheriff’s office all those foolish ideas were gone. His was a serious job that required a serious attitude. He tied his horse to the post and opened the office. With no one in jail the building was locked up for the night.
Inside Wade sat behind his desk and begun sifting through the paperwork. While as a kid he’d imagined a Sheriff’s and Deputy’s job would entail chasing criminals all day, the reality was a little bit more mundane. His duties, given the peaceful nature of Rugged Pass, mostly involved running errands for the Sheriff, filing paperwork and keeping the office tidy. He wouldn’t say it out loud but on some days he almost wished for a bar fight, so he’d have something to do.
Of course every now and then, a band of rustlers or outlaws tried their luck in the area, but the Sheriff was usually able to deal with them quickly. He also often left Wade in charge of the office, which made Wade proud of the responsibility placed on his shoulders, but a little bit jealous too. He hated missing out on all the action.
A creaking door made him raise his head.
“Mornin’, Officer Oakheart,” said Howard Thornton as he stepped inside.
He removed his hat revealing a full head of curly brown hair and placed it on the bookcase beside his favorite chair. Unlike Wade the older officer wore loose, ill-fitting clothes and a stained flannel shirt. Wade sometimes wondered if the lack of attention to his appearance was in part a protest against not being promoted to deputy, despite having served under the Sheriff for over six years. On the other hand, his scruffiness could very well be the reason he never got his star.
“Good day, Howard. Any news today?”
“Nothing I’ve heard.”
Smalltalk wasn’t their thing, so each returned to their work in silence. In some ways Wade had hoped his job would help him overcome his reluctance to talk with people. Help him communicate better and get a handle on his shyness. But with a colleague as talkative as Howard, he wasn’t exactly making progress with his conversational skills. Still, he loved his job and enjoyed every part of it, no matter how mundane.
It was almost noon when the door opened again and Sheriff Robert Bradshaw walked in.
“Good morning, men!” he shouted from the doorway, his imposing frame blocking the view of the outside. Wade almost missed the tiny figure stood by his side – Mrs. Bradshaw.
“Good day,” Wade said tipping his hat to the lady.
“Let’s start the day with a smile and end it with peace.” The sheriff waved his arms a lot when talking. He also seemed to ignore that for most people the day started earlier, a good deal of hours earlier.
“I brought you boys some muffins,” the Sheriff’s young wife placed a small basket on Wade’s desk and the heavenly scent of the freshly baked goods made his mouth water. “A small thank you for all your help with the wedding.”
She wore a plain dress that day, but she looked just as beautiful as she had on her wedding day just a few days ago. They had all helped with the Sheriff’s send-off into married life.
“Thank you, that’s very kind of you Mrs. Bradshaw.” Wade reached for a muffin from the top of the pile.
“Wade?” The Sheriff called him as he walked towards his office, a separate room at the back.
“Yes, Sheriff?” Wade stood up right away, a bit surprised by the early call.
“In my office. Now.”
His sudden change of tone made Wade raise a brow, but when he saw the friendly smile from the Sheriff’s wife he relaxed. She soon followed in her husband’s footsteps leaving Wade behind.
He dropped the case file he had planned on reading and headed for the Sheriff’s office. He wouldn’t want to make the man in charge of the town wait. Once inside he closed the door behind him and looked expectantly at his superior and his wife perched elegantly on the corner of the desk.
“Come, sit down.” The Sheriff gestured to one of the chairs in front of him. “You must be wondering why I summoned you in right away.”
Wade took a seat and nodded. “I am sir. Is there some special assignment you have for me?”
He hoped it was that, not something he had done wrong. A new case perhaps? Something that would get him out of the office and into the action?
“No, no. The town is as peaceful as it was yesterday.” The Sheriff waved his hand dismissively. Despite his earlier tone, he seemed to be in quite a jovial mood. “Loosen up a bit, kid. This is not about the job. Yet…”
Wade frowned again. Riddles - he wasn’t very good at them.
“Officer Oakheart, please excuse my husband’s rudeness.” The sheriff’s wife spoke firmly to catch both of their attention. “Today and the other day when he shared some of your… uhm… troubles with me.”
Wade looked at the Sheriff, then back at his wife. His troubles? What could I have said that would…?
“Now that I’m married you can’t use your old excuse.”
Oh, no.
“A wife is the best thing that can happen to a man. Right darling?”
Mrs. Bradshaw just laughed softly at that and placed her small hand over the Sheriff’s that rested on the desk. “My husband mentioned, you were looking for a bride.”
“Uhm… Not exactly. As I told the your husband before,” Wade immediately regretted taking that tone with his superior, but suddenly felt compelled to defend his honor. “I want to focus on my career for now.”
“He said he won’t get married until I do,” the Sheriff cut in.
Wade sighed. It’s not that he hadn’t thought about marriage or raising a family. He’d longed for one since he grew up with his mother. But his fears outweighed his desire. So he preferred to postpone such things until he’d have enough to offer to the future Mrs. Oakheart.
“No” Wade corrected. “I said that I didn’t see why I should since you-”
“Oh, never mind your bickering, you two,” Mrs. Bradshaw tried to intervene. “If he doesn’t want to...”
But apparently the Sheriff wasn’t in the mood to let the subject rest.
“I know he wants to. He’s just too stubborn to admit it,” he said to his wife and turned to Wade. “We have plenty of intelligent and kind-hearted women right here in town. What’s stopping you from courting one of them?”
“Yes, this town is full of good Christian women, but they’re all spoken for.”
“If you don’t pursue any of them, how could they choose you over the other suitors?”
All the others are wealthy, well connected or both. How could he compete with that?
“I’ve got a duty here, can’t be going and stealing someone else’s bride. Say I succeed. Why would I want to introduce resentment and family squabbles into this peaceful little town. I’m practically an outsider here.”
Sheriff Bradshaw rolled his eyes. “It’s your choice to live at the lodge rather than get your own house in town. Mr. Brown offered you that land at a bargain price.”
“What about a mail order bride?” Mrs. Bradshaw spoke just as Wade thought the topic was finally moving on to something else. “Have you heard about them?”
“No.” Wade shook his head.
“If it’s the idea of marrying a local woman that troubles you maybe someone from another town, another state even?”
The grin on his superior’s face suggested that he was al
l for the idea too. His wife took out a piece of paper from the small leather bag on her shoulder. She handed it to him and Wade looked at the name of some company he didn’t recognize.
“A bride for every frontier man?” He read the tagline out loud. “That’s a bold claim. And they just deliver them to you like the post?”
“No.” She laughed. “You place an ad, a lady replies and then you exchange letters. It’s all very decent, like a matchmaker.”
Being rejected after a few letters? Or even worse once they’d met face to face? The thought horrified him.
“I appreciate the concern, but I really don’t think this is for me.”
“Give it some thought, Wade.” The Sheriff said, supporting his wife’s cause.
Wade looked down on the paper he was holding. Should I give it a try? Should he? He wasn’t convinced, but he decided to keep hold of the paper. Anyway, it would be rude to give it back now.
“Thank you for the muffins, Mrs. Bradshaw. Now, if you don’t mind Sheriff, I’d get back to work.”
Sheriff Bradshaw dismissed him with another wave of his hand and a smile. A smile that suggested he thought Wade were a lost cause.
* * *
The day passed quickly, and Wade had almost forgotten the advice from Mrs. Bradshaw. That was until he went out into the street. He needed to get a new belt for his trousers, so he left his horse tied up outside the office and headed to the mercantile.
“Oh, just look at the sky, darling. Such amazing shades of orange and yellow.” A woman in a red dress and an oversized flower on her head, said, her head resting against her partner’s chest.
“It’s beautiful. Just like you, my love,” her husband planted a soft kiss on her forehead as they strolled arm in arm down Main Street.
Wade watched with envy as the couple passed by him. He wouldn’t deny it. There were moments where he imagined himself falling in love and starting a family. No man would ever want otherwise. But he would always make up excuses and reasons to why no one would want him, or why he wasn’t ready, or what he needed to do before contemplating the idea again.
He walked on, browsing the shop displays. Another couple passed by. He recognized the man – they were just engaged a month before. He plunged his hands into his pockets and looked down. But when his fingers found a piece of paper he looked up again.
Maybe it wasn’t such a crazy idea after all? I mean, who am I kidding? I’ll never gather up enough courage to court a girl here.
He pulled out the paper. It said to look for more details in the Matrimonial Times. They probably won’t have it at the store. He smiled to himself. It’s a silly idea anyway.
He made his way to his destination and bought his belt. But just as he was about to go home, the newspaper stand caught his eye. There it was, front and center, staring right at him. The Matrimonial Times.
“Valentine’s Day Special” read the headline. Wade scratched his head. He’d heard something about this holiday. Was there going to be a dance in town for it? He couldn’t quite remember.
“Take a copy Deputy, it’s on the house,” he heard the shop owner’s voice behind him.
“Uhm… I was just…”
“Yes, I know it’s for a friend.” Roger winked at him. “I won’t tell.”
Did no one mind their own business in this town? But he was too tired of arguing that particular topic for the day.
“Thank you.” He nodded, picked up a copy of the paper and hurriedly made his exit.
He rushed back to the office to collect his horse and then galloped home, as if everyone could see the paper he carried. Once home he was about to put it away in a drawer but then he realized. He had no choice but to give it a try. The Sheriff, the Sheriff’s wife, Roger… and once Roger knew everyone knew… He opened the paper and looked for instructions. At least if he did it they would stop pestering him.
Wade smiled. Maybe that’s for the best. Place the advert and from there I’ll just leave it in God’s hands.
Chapter 3
It had been days since she’d boarded the wagon covered with thick white cloth that would carry her to Ragged Pass. A new and unfamiliar place - she could barely contain her excitement.
When Wade asked her to come to his town Sarah didn’t hesitate. Over the course of a few months they had exchanged several letters. In those he told her funny stories and described the many places he had been to. Much like the men in her books, Wade snuck into her heart with his good humor and manly charms.
While Mrs. Taurell did not disapprove of her idea, she did worry about the journey. Not Sarah, though. Just like her trip to America when she was younger the passage itself marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. It also meant she was able to take in the staggering variety of landscapes on the way.
Sarah quickly made friends with the driver, who was more than happy to answer her questions whenever they passed by a place that interested her. He also pointed out, at her request when they crossed state borders. As the scenery she travelled through changed, so did her travelling companions. Passengers embarked and disembarked as they passed through the various towns villages on the route. The two ladies she travelled with that day slept, leaning against each other. The older one intermittently disturbing the peace with her snoring. Obviously they did not share Sarah’s passion for sightseeing.
She leaned out the wagon and craned her neck around to drink in the view. Arizona. Only one more day and she would be in Ragged Pass, with her husband-to-be in her new home.
“Mr. Smith?” Sarah shouted over the thundering of the horse hooves against the dirt road.
“What do you call that mountain over there?” She pointed at the reddish brown rock formation on the horizon.
“Oh, that? Locals call it Canyon de Chelly.” Mr. Smith seemed to know exactly what she was referring to without even looking at where her finger pointed.
“I see.” Sarah nodded while still keeping an eye on the vast, rocky mountains.
She pulled back into her seat and marveled at the views. Without thinking her fingers drifted towards her small hand-carry case and she pulled out a notebook and a pencil from it.
But she wasn’t a painter. She couldn’t sketch even if her life depended on it. Sarah locked her memories down with words instead. She scribbled notes about the surroundings, devoting several sentences to describing the mountain formation. She added characters too. She saw stories everywhere.
This one was about a woman who was bound to meet her husband after a long period of separation. She travelled through a deserted valley, riding in a wagon with her maidservants. The wagon wobbled on the dirt road, but the women barely noticed. They were too busy laughing at each other’s stories. Suddenly they heard hooves pounding against the dirt road. Someone was fast approaching. The women stilled as they listened to the sound drawing nearer and nearer…
Sarah leaned out the window to see who was approaching. A rider surrounded by a cloud of dust rode towards them. She twisted her head forward.
“Can we go any faster, Mr. Smith?” It won’t be long now. Soon I’ll meet my husband-to-be and we will get married. She would have to be a bit more serious then. Just a tiny bit.
“Are you sure Miss?”
“Yes, just a little bit faster, Mr. Smith,” Sarah raised her voice to make sure the driver heard her.
A moment later Mr. Smith cracked the whip and the wagon lurched forward as it continued its journey at faster pace. Sarah brushed away hair from her eyes and looked back at the rider left in the distance. She pulled back inside, gripped her pencil tight and continued to write the scene.
They tried to escape from the bandit chasing after them. But despite the driver making the horses run as fast as they could and the wagon bouncing up and down on the tough road the rider caught up with them. The ladies screamed as his face, covered with a red scarf, except the eyes, appeared in the window alerting the driver and the guard. The bandit reached for the rope that held the cover flaps together.
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The women screamed again. In desperation the driver rolled the wagon off the road onto the rocky edge by the roadside. But the bandit followed them there while holding onto the rope.
An unexpected bounce of the wagon snapped her pencil tip and brought Sarah back to reality. She glanced up to find out what caused the jump and saw a man, similarly dressed to the antagonist she had just created in her story. Sarah’s eyes widened and she held her breath.
“A real bandit?” Sarah whispered as she held on to the edge of her seat when the wagon bounced again. “It can’t be.”
“Miss, hold on tight now.” Mr. Smith shouted as he pulled the reigns harder to gain speed.
“Faster, Mr. Smith!” Sarah shouted back while eyeing the masked riding beside the wagon as he turned towards them.
Beside her the two other women gasped and huddled together. Their eyes still blurry, but filled with fear. Both her notebook and the pencil fell from Sarah’s hands. Fear and excitement mixed in her mind. A real life adventure! Screamed one part of her mind. The other remembered the stories about robberies and kidnappings that did not end with a heroic rescue from the good guys.
Her fear had turned into horror when she saw the bandit speeding past her, aiming for the driver.
“Slow down!” The man yelled. “Mr. Smith, please slow down.”
Sarah blinked. Were the two in cahoots?! She peered out again half expecting more riders to appear in the distance. But there were none, and the wagon started slowing down.
“No! Mr. Smith, don’t slow down!”
But the wagon had come to a stop and after a few more steps the horse stood still. The rider pulled down his mask and dismounted his horse. He wiped sweat from his brow and with a tired smile pulled something out of his pocket. Sarah held her breath, still fearing it to be a gun, but it was just a large brown envelope.
Sarah's Journey (Valentine Mail Order Bride 4) Page 2