“Molly, meet Sadie.” He waved his hand between Molly and Sadie. “She’s the best chef in the Arizona Territory. As my chief cook she runs the kitchen. Anything you want you ask her. Sadie this is Molly, my fiancée.” He took Molly’s hand and put it in the crook of his elbow and then patted her hand. “We’ll be married tomorrow.”
Sadie came forward and took Molly’s hand in one of hers, the other held a large cooking spoon. “Pleased to meet you Miss Molly. I’ve wanted Mr. Ben to get himself married for a long time now.”
“Hello, Sadie. Very happy to finally meet you, too. I remember Ben writing and saying how happy he was to have extracted you from that restaurant in Tucson.” Tilting her head, she turned her gaze to Ben. “You think being married will settle him down any?”
“When you give him a passel of little ones he’ll settle down.”
Molly watched Ben redden and look away. She couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Sadie, do you think I could get a sandwich? The trip on the stage was long and uncomfortable to say the least.” Molly’s mouth watered at all the wonderful smells of baking bread, fried chicken and even an apple pie, that surrounded her. “And the offerings at the way stations were completely devoid of anything actually resembling food.”
“You sure can. Do you want roast beef, turkey or maybe you’d like some fried chicken instead? That’s our special today. I got a plate with all the fixin’s right here you can have. I’ll fix another for the waiting customer.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind. I’d love it.” Molly was afraid she was beginning to drool.
“What about you, Mr. Ben?” asked Sadie as she took that spoon, dipped it into a large pot on the stove and began to stir. “What do you want to eat?”
“You might as well eat, Ben,” said Molly. “Then you can show me the town and introduce me to your friends. I’ll unpack afterward.”
“Okay. Sadie, give me the fried chicken, too.” He turned to Molly. “She makes the best fried chicken you’ve ever had.”
She turned to look at Ben. “I’ll have to get the recipe so I can make the dish at home. What will you do when you have to settle for my cooking?”
“He’ll do just fine.” Sadie waved her cooking spoon in Molly’s direction. “If you’re not already a good cook, I’ll make you one. You’ll see. It will be all right.”
Molly and Ben sat at the square wooden table in the kitchen, usually used by the help, and ate their meal. Each of their plates had two pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, a dinner roll and butter. Molly was ravenous. She finished everything on her plate and probably could have eaten more.
Sadie must have read her mind because she brought two pieces of apple pie to the table and half a cup of fresh cream to spoon over the tops.
Molly took a bite and thought she’d gone to heaven. The crust was flaky and the apples just a little crisp, not completely soft and mushy. The dessert was perfect.
“That does it. Sadie is coming home with us. There is no way I can compete with perfection.”
She watched the older woman smile and blush under the praise.
Molly smiled. She was sure she’d just made a friend.
CHAPTER 2
After their meal, Ben took Molly’s hand and put it in the crook of his elbow. Together, they walked up and down the boardwalk. He introduced her to the business people and to his friends along the way. Lastly they went to the doctor’s office.
“Are you ill?” Molly asked with some concern, her grip tightening. What if he was sick and just wanted her to take care of him? No, she was being silly. He was the epitome of health.
“Not at all. My best friends are the doctor and his wife. They have a daughter, Hope. I was there when she was born.”
“You were there? Where was the doctor that he couldn’t deliver his own child?”
He patted her hand. “You misunderstand. Hope is adopted. Her mother died in childbirth and her father blamed both Julia and Hope for his wife’s death. Finally the father came around but then he was killed, so Julia and Matthew adopted Hope. They have raised her since the day she was born. You’ll have to get Julia to tell you the whole story sometime.”
“That is such a sad story and yet it sounds fascinating.” So this was Julia. The doctor’s wife. What would cause him to call me by her name?
“It was the scariest thing I’ve ever heard. Hope’s mother screamed in pain.” He shuddered. “I don’t know how women have babies all the time. I couldn’t do it.”
She cocked her eyebrow. “That’s why women have babies and not men. We’re stronger.”
He looked down at her and then threw his head back in laughter. When he recovered, he said, “I like you Molly. I think we will get along well together.”
Molly thought they would, too, as long as her past didn’t come calling. Surely this was so far out of the way that Tom couldn’t find her here. Sometimes she regretted the day she’d stumbled on the embezzlement and reported it to the authorities. And then to have him escape from prison…she said a quick prayer that he stayed away, far away.
The attorney for the bank had contacted her to let her know about the escape. She had written to Ben then and moved up the wedding date, wanting to get as far away as possible from New York.
“You’re thinking awfully hard about something.” Ben furrowed his brows. “You’re frowning.”
“What?” She shook her head and forced a smile. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just thinking about the wedding tomorrow. Let’s go meet these friends, and then I must unpack.”
Molly followed Ben into the doctor’s office where they were met by a very beautiful redhead who was clearly expecting very soon.
Ben hurried forward. “Julia, what are you doing working? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“Hello to you too, Benjamin.” She leaned her neck to the side so he could give her a kiss on the cheek.
The woman was making circuits of the office. She walked around them again and again.
“Stop and sit down would you please?” Ben asked.
“No, I won’t stop. Matthew is getting Hope ready to bring to you. I’m having this baby today.”
“Today? Are you crazy?” asked Ben, wide-eyed.
“Absolutely not. I’m ready. He’s dropped and is in the right position to be born. Besides that, my water broke and I’m having labor pains about every three minutes. No, I’m definitely having this child today.”
Molly gasped and watched Ben turn pale. By the time Julia finished talking he’d lost all color. Of course, Molly figured she was probably fairly pale herself. She’d never heard such frank talk about having babies before, and definitely not in front of a gentleman. So this is Julia. The woman is beautiful. Even pregnant, she is striking with the most beautiful emerald green eyes I’ve ever seen.
“Who is your friend, Benjamin?” Julia jutted her chin toward Molly.
“Oh, forgive me, both of you. Your condition threw everything out of my mind. This is Molly McGregor. We’re getting married tomorrow. I intended to ask you and Matthew to stand up with us.”
“Glad to finally meet you, Molly. Benjamin has talked about the mail order bride he had coming. I understand you used the same service, Matchmaker & Co, that I and Lizzie Brandon used.”
“Yes, that’s correct. Maggie Black is a wonderful woman and takes very good care of her clients.”
“Yes she does,” agreed Julia. Then she turned her head toward Ben. “You’ll have to get someone else. I will be in bed tomorrow with my new son. Try Lizzie and Mal Brandon.”
“How do you know it’s a son? By the way, pleased to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and Julia gave it a quick shake on her way by.
“Forgive me for not stopping but I believe that walking helps to make the delivery faster and easier on the mother. And I just know he’s a boy.” She rubbed her hand over her belly and smiled. “I can’t tell you how, I just know.”
“Oh my, I guess you’d better keep walkin
g then. Anything to make delivery easier,” said Molly who remembered the screams coming from her mother when her brother Robert was born.
“My thoughts exactly,” said Julia as she continued to walk. “Ben, as I said, Matthew is bringing Hope to you, remember our discussion a month ago? We’ll be rather busy and won’t be able to look after her properly.”
“Of course. She’s my baby girl and always will be.” He turned to Molly and flashed a smile. “I’m her godfather.”
She nodded. “I see.” These must be Ben’s best friends for them to choose him to be godfather to their child.
“Won’t that interfere with your plans with Molly? You’ll have to take Hope to your wedding.” Julia rubbed her belly as she spoke.
“That would be appropriate,” said Ben. “She was there at your wedding to Matthew, she should be there at mine to Molly.”
“I apologize, Molly, but it looks like Matthew and I will both miss your wedding. I hope that it’s wonderful.” Julia paced by them again. “You better go talk to Lizzie and see if she and Mal can stand up with you.”
A reprieve? She sucked in a breath. “That’s all right. We can wait for you to get back on your feet. Can’t we, Ben?” Molly hoped she didn’t sound too anxious.
“How long will that be?” asked Ben, his brows coming together.
“Probably a week. How much notice do you have to give the judge?” asked Julia.
“I don’t have to give him but a few hours’ notice. He said we’d just have the ceremony in his chambers. Obviously, Molly won’t mind waiting. But I would like to keep with our plans and have the ceremony tomorrow.”
He had the audacity to look at her, raise an eyebrow, and grin.
“Are you sure? Wouldn’t whenever Julia is out of her child-bed be fine? The wait is only a week.” She followed Julia’s progress around the room. “To be honest, I wanted to get to know Ben a little better before the wedding, anyway.”
“It’s true she did mention it.” Ben pointed to his chest, “I’m the one who wants to get married so quickly, but Molly is the one who originally wanted to get married sooner, so we will marry tomorrow. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Disappointed, Molly took a deep breath. The more she watched Julia circle the office the queasier her stomach became. She thought she would be sick if she kept watching her much longer.
“I think I’d like to sit.” She pressed her hand to her stomach.
Julia pointed at one of the chairs against the wall. “Of course, take a seat. Matthew will be back in a few minutes. He’ll come by to see me first before he takes Hope to the hotel.”
As if on command, the door to Molly’s right opened. Through it walked a tall, handsome man with a lean build. He had brown hair with gray at the temples and carried a beautiful blonde baby.
“Ah, Matthew. Just the man I came to see. This is Molly,” he waved his arm toward her, “my fiancée. I wanted you and Julia to stand up with us, but it looks like you two will be busy.”
“That’s true. Julia is bound and determined to have this baby today.” He turned to the little girl in his arms. “Hope, you want to go play with Uncle Ben?”
The baby nodded and held out her arms to Ben.
Molly had never seen anything so precious in her entire life. Seeing these big strong men holding this sweet baby girl, she felt her heart just melt.
Ben gathered Hope close and tickled her under her chin. “Hello, Little Bit. How are you?”
The baby laughed. “Bababababa”
Ben laughed. “Molly, meet Little Bit. Also known as Hope. She’ll be a year old next month.”
Molly stood and reached out toward the baby and smoothed her fingers down Hope’s soft cheek. “Hello, Hope. Aren’t you a sweet little thing?” She hadn’t been around a baby since Robert was born, but somehow she knew what to do. She hadn’t forgotten.
“She’d have to be to put up with these two big softies. She has them both wrapped around her finger.” Julia walked by on another lap around the room.
“I can see how that would be easy to do. I could fall for her in a minute, myself. She’s adorable.” Molly tickled the baby’s feet.
Hope gave Molly a big smile and held her arms out to her.
“She seems to have taken a liking to you.” Ben passed the baby to Molly.
Hope smiled and patted Molly’s face. Molly’s heart melted. That quickly, she was enamored of this baby and longed for some of her own. She looked up at Ben. He’d make a good father if what she’d seen of his behavior toward Hope was typical. Suddenly she wanted to get married with all haste and start a family. If she could get past the wedding night fear.
“I guess I won’t fight you on getting married right away.”
“I thought you wanted to wait.” He shook his head and Molly understood why he would be confused.
“I’ll pick my fights but this isn’t one of them. Besides the sooner we do then the sooner we have one of her.” She kissed Hope’s forehead and was greeted with sweet, clean baby smell, like she’d just been bathed.
Ben grinned and his eyes became a soft smoky gray. “Your command is my pleasure. We’ll talk to Lizzie and Mal, to see if they can stand up for us.”
“I’m sure they will.” Julia’s voice was strained. She’d stopped and was bent over.
Molly knew she must be having a labor pain and touched her own stomach. She could almost feel her pain and that made her somewhat nervous.
“Let’s check you and see what progress you’re making.” Matthew circled an arm around Julia’s back and helped his wife down the hall. “Ben, come by after you talk to Lizzie. We may have a new baby by then.”
“Will do.” He turned to Molly. “Let’s go back to the hotel and get the surrey. Lizzie and Mal Brandon live a few miles outside of town. Do you want to carry Hope, or her valise?”
“Given that choice I’ll take the baby every time.” She looked down to the baby in her arms. “Yes, I will. I’ll take you every time.”
“She’s easy to love isn’t she?” Ben’s voice was soft, gentle.
“Yes. I’ve already fallen for her.” She cuddled the baby tighter. “I can only imagine how much you and Julia must love her having been there at her birth.”
“Matthew, too,” said Ben. “Julia brought her home that night and she and Matthew have raised her ever since. They will tell her about her father and mother when she gets old enough to understand.”
“They’re good people…your friends.”
Smiling he nodded. “The best.”
Instead of going to the hotel, Ben guided them to the stables behind it. There he hitched up the two sorrel horses that were housed in the building.
They both had beautiful red-brown coats and the short white socks on their rear legs matched exactly. She wondered if they were twins.
Ben had the surrey ready to go in minutes, and then he helped Molly in with one hand and held Hope with the other arm.
“Here you go. You get to hold the most precious of cargo while I drive.” He handed Hope to Molly.
She settled the baby in her lap and wrapped both arms around her, making her as safe as she could.
Ben walked around the back of the buggy and got in next to Molly.
“Are my girls ready to go?”
“We are.” Molly heart leapt. She was already one of his girls.
He slapped the reins on the horse’s butts, and they started walking. Ben steered them out to Main Street and then out of town. Once he’d cleared the congestion of people and conveyances he let the horses have their heads, and they began to canter.
The Brandon ranch was about five miles from town. The thirty-minute trip was filled with Hope’s chattering and laughter from Ben and Molly at the baby’s antics. The time passed quickly.
He pulled up in front of a plantation-style home, such as Molly had only seen in drawings. The home was beautiful, with four white columns supporting a roof over the large porch. A wooden swing, table and chairs g
raced one end of the porch and two lovely wooden rocking chairs with a low table between them were on the other end.
The entrance was marked by a dark wooden double-door.
Ben set the brake and jumped down. He came around the surrey and took Hope from Molly so she could climb down.
Together they walked the up garden path to the stairs and then across the porch to the door. Ben lifted and released the knocker on the door twice.
Soon a very tall woman opened the door. She looked up at Ben.
“Ben and…company. Come in. Let me see that baby.” She held her arms out to the child and Hope leaned forward, reaching toward her. “Hello, sweet baby. To what do we owe the pleasure and who is this lovely lady with you?”
“This is Molly McGregor. She’s my mail order bride, my fiancée and we’re getting married tomorrow.” He turned to Molly. “This is Lizzie Brandon.”
“Pleased to meet you Mrs. Brandon.” Molly held out her hand.
“Just Lizzie, please.” She shook Molly’s hand
“As you wish. I’m just Molly.”
“I’ll come right to the point,” said Ben. “We need you and Mal to stand up for us, tomorrow if you’re available.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. Let’s go to the library and talk with Mal.”
They followed her to a large room filled floor to ceiling with bookshelves, most of which were only about half full of books. A dark wood desk stood toward the back of the room with two leather upholstered chairs in front of it. To the right side of the room was a fireplace with a blue damask sofa and two chairs that matched the leather ones by the desk.
Behind the desk sat a dark-haired man, who was totally absorbed by whatever he was looking at on the desk. When he stood it was easy to tell he was at least as tall as Ben, which was only a few inches taller than Lizzie. They definitely made them tall in Tombstone.
Goodness all the men in Tombstone seemed to be handsome, as well. At least the ones she’d met. She supposed she was lucky in that she found Ben to be the best looking of the lot.
“Hello Mal. Forgive us for barging in but Molly and I…oh, this is Molly McGregor my wife-to-be. We need you and Lizzie to join us for our wedding ceremony at ten tomorrow in Judge Blackstone’s chambers. We’d like for the two of you to be our witnesses.”
Mail Order Baron (The Brides of Tombstone Book 3) Page 2