Pony Express Mail-Order Bride

by Rhonda Gibson

  Bella enjoyed this time with the boys. Caleb came out of the outhouse with a little more dignity than Mark had. “What do you want to do?” she asked him.

  “I don’t know for sure, but whatever it is, I’ll have fun, too.” He looked at his little brother. “I’ll race you back!”

  And away they went.

  “Don’t get my floors muddy. Wipe your feet!” she called after them.

  Bella followed, carrying the light. While they were outside the sun had sunk even farther and it was beginning to sprinkle again. She looked up into the heavens and allowed several drops to land on her face. “Thank You, Lord, for holding the rain back so the boys could come outside.”

  Her gaze returned to the porch, where the boys were wiping their feet. “Wait for me,” she called, wanting to make sure that their boots were clean of mud before they entered the house.

  Just as she stepped onto the porch, the rain began to fall steadily. “Let me see the bottoms of your boots, boys.” Just as she suspected, they were covered in mud. “Take them off and set them beside the door.

  Bella pulled off her gloves and began to unlace her own boots. The boys pulled theirs off quickly, but she had to work the buttons on hers.

  “Can we go in, Aunt Bella? It’s cold out here.” Caleb rubbed his stocking feet one on top of the other.

  “Yes, but don’t run or make any noise. Remember Philip is trying to sleep downstairs.”

  Caleb nodded. “We’ll be quiet.” He pushed the door open and then yelled, “Philip!”

  “Yay! Philip is awake!” Mark ran into the house behind his brother.

  The sound of Philip’s laughter floated out onto the porch. Bella smiled. She’d missed his laughter. Her fingers trembled as she continued unbuttoning her boots. Cold quickly seeped into her fingers and caused them to work slower.

  “Where’s Bella?” Philip asked.

  “Outside. She’s taking her boots off,” Caleb answered.

  It was nice that he’d thought to ask about her, Bella thought, pulling off the first boot. She bent down and began to work on the other boot. The sound of Philip and the boys talking drifted out the open door.

  Bella focused on the buttons. Her fingers now felt as if sharp needles were going into them. She pressed on.

  “Here, let me help.” Philip’s warm hand covered hers.

  She looked up into his blue eyes. “Thank you.” Bella moved her hands away, missing his warmth immediately.

  Philip made quick work of the buttons. He slipped the boot from her foot. “If you walk on this wet porch, your stockings will get wet.” Not giving her time to protest, he swept her up into his arms and carried her over the threshold.

  Bella felt her face flush with embarrassment. He gently set her down and smiled. She looked to the boys, who had their nightclothes on and were sitting on their pallets.

  Mark held his favorite book, The Remarkable Story of Chicken Little. His head was tilted sideways as if he was contemplating something important.

  “Go hold your hands to the heat and I’ll get you a cup of coffee to help warm you up,” Philip instructed.

  Bella walked to the fire and sat down on the quilt beside Mark. “How about we start your story while I wait for my drink?” she asked, trying to act as if everything was normal, even though her heart was pounding in her chest.

  Both boys nodded their heads. Caleb laid back and put his arms under his head. Mark imitated his older brother.

  Bella read the story aloud, pleased her voice didn’t betray her inner emotions. Why did she feel so shaky inside? Philip carrying her inside shouldn’t have caused these feelings. Mentally Bella tried to push them away. She was not going to fall in love with her husband. He didn’t want anything except her friendship and she didn’t want to be hurt again by giving her heart to a man.

  * * *

  Philip took his time getting the coffee. He listened to the sweet sound of Bella’s voice as she read the story to the little boys. She knew when to read excitedly and when to lower her voice. Memories of his mother reading to him filled his mind. Philip missed his mother and father. Even though his father would rather have died than to stay with him and live, Philip loved the man he remembered before he’d seen him die.

  He handed Bella her coffee. Philip nodded to the boys. “Good night, boys.” He turned on his heels and headed back down to the cold bedroom.

  There he sat in the middle of the bed with the quilt wrapped tightly around him. He forced himself to remember the whispers of the women at the orphanage. They said his dad had gone insane after his mother died. That his heart had broken so badly that he died, too. Philip refused to love that deeply. He and Bella were friends, only friends. That was what they’d agreed on. That was what he planned to stick with. He couldn’t love so deeply that it would drive him insane if she died.

  Several hours later, Philip crept back up the stairs. The house was quiet. Bella and the boys were sleeping beside the fireplace. They looked like a pile of puppies. He grinned, then tiptoed to the kitchen area.

  His stomach growled loudly. Philip knew that Bella always had bread around. He searched the countertop and found a plate of food sitting there. His gaze moved back to Bella. She’d made sure that when he was ready there would be food for him to eat.

  He carried the plate to the table and uncovered it. Bread, sliced ham and three small pickles were on the plate and a small bowl rested in the center. Philip picked up the bowl and sniffed. Apples and cinnamon greeted his nose.

  His gaze moved to the pail Bella was using to catch rainwater. As he ate, his gaze moved around the house. He noticed several other pails that had caught rainwater. That meant the roof needed repairing. He thanked the Lord that Bella hadn’t tried to climb up and fix it.

  After eating, he quietly emptied each bucket of rainwater out the back door. The cold rain continued to fall, causing him to shiver. Philip went back downstairs and grabbed the quilt and pillow off the bed. He hurried back up and closed the door to the lower part of the house.

  He folded the quilt to make a cushioned bed for himself. Philip used the final fold as a cover. He snuggled down into his warm bed. For several long minutes Philip listened to the steady breathing of his new family. The responsibility of three people weighed heavily upon him. Would he be able to provide for them? Care for their basic needs and not grow to love them?

  In a way, he knew it was silly to cling to old fears. People died every day. He’d even heard of several who had taken their own lives, like his father had. Philip didn’t want to believe he’d be weak should he fall in love with his family, but still... It was crazy, but he didn’t know how not to feel this way.

  Angry, Philip turned his face to the fireplace and punched the pillow several times in frustration. Knowing something was silly and not knowing how to deal with it was enough to drive a sane man insane.

  For the first time in many years, Philip wished he had someone to talk to about his fears and emotions. He closed his eyes and willed sleep to overtake him so that he could start tomorrow pretending that nothing bothered him. That he was perfectly normal and was leading a normal life.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Philip woke the next morning feeling as if he’d slept on rocks. The smell of bacon filled the little house. He looked around for the boys but didn’t see them on their bed.

  The sound of humming filled his ears. He turned toward the sound. Bella worked in the kitchen. She was placing bacon on four plates alongside flapjacks.

  He pushed off his quilt. “Something sure smells good.” Philip folded up the quilt and laid it on top of the bedding that had been hers and the boys’ beds.

  “I thought I’d make flapjacks, since you are home. Hazel brought maple syrup over the other day.” She set the plates on the table. “Would you mind calling the boys in f
or breakfast?”

  “Be happy to.” He walked to the front door and pulled it open.

  He was surprised to find the boys playing on the porch instead of out in the mud puddles. “Bella says breakfast is ready.” Philip stepped to the side and let them run past.

  “Hold up.” She held her hand up to stop them from climbing up on the logs. “Hands washed first.”

  It was an order, not a request. Both boys looked at their hands. Mark grumbled, “Mine are clean.”

  “Uh-uh. You were picking your nose outside,” Caleb said as he started walking toward the washbasin.

  Mark stuck his tongue out at Caleb’s back but followed. “I bet my nose is cleaner than yours.”

  Philip shook his head. The boys were a lot like Benjamin. Was he ever that ornery? He walked to the table.

  Bella said, “You, too.”

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.” Philip followed the bickering boys.

  Caleb was drying his hands. He looked to Philip and grinned. “She’s making you wash your hands, too?”

  “Yep, and my ma always says never argue with the person who is cooking your meals.” He waited for Mark to move over and then dipped his hands into the warm water. Amazed, he said, “The water’s warm.”

  “Aunt Bella heats it for us,” Mark said, taking the drying cloth from his brother.

  “Nice.” Philip grinned at them. “Makes washing your hands much better.”

  Caleb crossed his arms over his chest. “Philip, have you noticed the roof needs to be fixed?”

  Philip looked at the boy’s serious face. “Yep, I did.”

  “We gonna fix it?” Mark asked.

  Philip took the offered drying cloth. As he dried his hands, he answered, “I reckon we have to.”

  “How are we going to do it?” Caleb asked. He leaned against the wall. His blue eyes were very serious. Was he trying to be the man of the house?

  He decided to see where the boy was going with his line of questions and thinking. “What did you have in mind?” Philip asked. He hung the cloth on a nail and waited.

  “Well, I’ve never fixed a roof before. Have you?”

  “Are you guys going to stand out there talking all morning? Breakfast is getting cold,” Bella called from the kitchen.

  Philip walked to the table. He wasn’t about to let his breakfast get cold. “I’ve fixed a barn roof before, so I imagine I’ll be able to figure out something.” He sat down on the log at the head of the table.

  Caleb and Mark crawled up onto their log seats. He waited for Bella to join them and then said a quick prayer over their food.

  After everyone had said amen, Philip answered Caleb. “We’ll need to make some shakes to cover the damaged ones.”

  Bella looked at him with a frown. “What are shakes?”

  “The pieces of wood on the roof that overlap each other to keep us dry in here,” he answered. The bacon was crisp, just the way he liked it.

  Caleb nodded as if he understood exactly what Philip was saying. Mark was more interested in the maple syrup that Bella was pouring over his flapjacks. He realized that his little family had distracted him from his chores. “As soon as breakfast is over we need to go feed the horses and then head over to the relay station and help Thomas with the chores there,” he said.

  The two boys were deep into their breakfast, focusing on the pancakes in front of them. Philip wasn’t sure they heard him. He decided to try the flapjacks. His eyes widened at the buttery flavor.

  Bella grinned at him. “What do you think?”

  It was obvious that she knew what he thought, but he recognized that women like to hear they did a good job. “They are so buttery.”

  “That’s because I use a little more than other people and the trick is to start whisking as soon as you add the milk because the cold milk will cause the butter to set up if you don’t.” Bella took a bite of a flapjack.

  “Well, it sure is good. Isn’t it, boys?”

  Both boys looked up with full mouths and nodded. Mark dipped his finger into the syrup and tucked it between his lips.

  “Mark, don’t use your fingers,” Bella scolded. She handed him a cloth to wipe his sticky hands on.

  They finished breakfast and Bella began to clean up the table. Philip stood and rubbed his stomach. “Thanks for making breakfast, Bella. That was some mighty fine eatin’.”

  Mark imitated him by poking out his tummy and rubbing it. “Yep, mighty fine eatin’,” he repeated.

  Bella laughed. “Glad you boys enjoyed it.”

  “Aunt Bella, do you want me to help you clean up the kitchen?” Caleb asked. He carried his plate to the washtub and slipped it into the water.

  She gave him a big hug. “Not this morning, little man. I believe you and Mark are going to go help Philip and Thomas with the chores.” Bella kissed the top of his blond head.

  Caleb wiggled out of her grasp. “All right, you don’t have to get mushy about it.”

  Mark laughed. Bella made a quick grab for him and soon had the little boy in a tight hug and was planting kisses on his face. She let him go and wiped her face. “Mark, you have a sticky face.”

  “Well, you have wet kisses,” he returned, wiping at his face.

  Philip laughed at their antics. Mark had been stunned that Bella had gotten ahold of him so quickly. He stopped laughing when he heard Mark’s next words.

  “Aunt Bella, aren’t you going to kiss Philip all over? He laughed, too.”

  Bella’s face turned red and she looked away quickly.

  Philip decided to join in the fun. He raced across the room, snagged her around the waist and started planting kisses all over her face. She squealed and giggled. He let her go and grinned at the boys. “I’m faster than her.” Philip raced to the coats as if afraid she was going to get him. “Hurry, boys, let’s get out of here before she starts kissing us again,” he called.

  He tossed each of the boys their coats, then opened the door and let them run outside. Philip turned back to face Bella. “Let’s do that every morning. That was fun.” He hurried out the door before she could reply.

  * * *

  Bella stood in shock. She knew Philip was playful, but he’d just caused her heart to pitter-patter again. How was she going to stop him from doing that? If she told him to stop carrying her and kissing her, he’d know the effect he was having on her poor nervous system. Then what?

  A knock sounded on the door. Bella approached with caution. Was that Philip playing tricks on her? Was he thinking it would be funny to kiss her again? She pulled the door open and jumped back.

  Hazel looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. “Is that a new way to answer the door?”

  Bella felt her cheeks burst into flame. “No, I thought you were Philip.” She opened the door wider to let Hazel inside.

  “Does he usually knock?” Hazel grunted. She stooped over and picked up a medium-sized wooden box. “I’m so glad that the rain has finally stopped. A woman could catch her death of a cold, waiting on the porch to be let in.”

  “No. What’s in the box?” She hoped her question would distract Hazel.

  The older woman smiled. “A surprise for the boys.”

  Bella’s interest was tweaked. “Can I see?”

  Hazel gave her a mischievous grin. “Sure, but only after you tell me what you thought was going to happen when you opened the door for Phil.”

  So much for distracting her. Bella sighed. “He was teasing me earlier and I thought he was going to grab me again when I opened the door.”

  “Sounds fun.” Hazel smiled.

  “It was,” Bella admitted. “Now, tell me. What’s in the box?”

  Hazel pulled the lid off the box. Inside were blocks, wooden wagons and a couple of stickmen, what looked like puzzle
pieces and several books. “It’s not a lot, but I thought the boys would like them.”

  “I’m sure they will love them.” Bella pulled a small wooden house out of the box. “This is so cute.”

  “There’s also a fence and barn in there,” Hazel said, digging into the box. She held up the little barn. “See?”

  Bella stood up. “I know they are going to love these. Are you sure you want to give them to the boys?”

  “What am I going to do with them?” Hazel asked.

  Bella wanted to answer her with a few questions of her own. Like what Hazel was doing with these toys? Where did they come from? But she knew that would be rude, so instead she grinned. “I guess give them to the boys. Thank you.”

  Hazel dug in her apron pocket. “I brought something for you, too.” She pulled out two pieces of paper folded together.

  Bella took them and unfolded them. “Oh, these are cookie recipes. Thank you.” She started walking to the table. “Let’s sit down and have a cup of tea. How does that sound?”

  “Wonderful. These old bones are tired and cold.”

  The dirty dishes were going to have to wait until she had visited with Hazel. Bella laid the papers on the table, put a pot of water on to heat and then took down her tea bin.

  “That second paper has that sweetbread recipe you wanted and a few other breads I thought you might like.” Hazel sat down. “I’ll sure be glad when that man of yours builds you some decent chairs.”

  “Oh, I can’t wait to try the sweetbread recipe.” Bella decided not to comment on Hazel’s thoughts on her chairs. She was proud of the fact that she and the boys had found the logs to use for chairs. The Lord had provided and she’d not complain.

  Mark ran into the house. “Hi, Hazel!” He gave her a big hug.

  “Where have you been?” she asked.

  “Out helping Philip with the chores.” He turned to Bella. “Philip asked if you’d mind packing us a box lunch.”

  “A lunch?” Bella didn’t understand why they’d need a box lunch.

  Hazel pulled the little boy up onto her lap.