by Heather Gray
“How quickly can we be married?” Sarah was the one to ask the question. She wondered if she was being too forward, but she was fairly certain Samuel should not kiss her like that again until they were married. Oh how she wanted him to kiss her like that again. A wedding couldn’t come soon enough to suit Sarah.
“Saturday,” was Samuel’s clipped reply.
Laughter burst from Sarah and bounced around the foyer. For once Sarah thought she might have to work on Samuel’s sense of humor. If his expression was anything to go by, he definitely did not find anything worth laughing about in their present situation.
Delighted to find that her future husband was at a loss for words, Sarah wanted to tease him a bit. “But Samuel, today is Saturday. Surely you don’t mean for us to wed today?”
“Give me a week,” barked Samuel. “We’ll wed next Saturday.”
Sarah closed the distance between the two of them once again. She stood up on her tiptoes and gave Samuel a chaste kiss on the cheek. Deciding not to play with fire, she backed quickly away and said, “Next Saturday it is. I’ll take care of the arrangements.” With that, she was out the door, happier than she ever remembered being.
****
The days flew by. A cloud of euphoria surrounded Sarah as she planned for her wedding day. She and Samuel had decided to move into her home once they wed. Sarah, Minnie, and Ida spent the week cleaning and airing it out. After these past weeks of staying with the Smiths, her own home had started to feel musty and neglected. Sarah immediately wanted to make everything new for her soon-to-be husband – new curtains, new linens, new wallpaper – the works! In the short period of time left to prepare, though, such ambition was unrealistic.
“Everything is fine the way it is,” Samuel had told her when she’d grumbled to him about the condition of her home. “If you want to take the time to change everything in that house, then I’m simply going to have to move away until you’re done.” When Sarah, appalled at what he’d said, started to protest, he’d put his arm around her shoulders, pulled her to his side and said, “It’s like this, Sarah. I don’t know how much longer I can resist kissing you. If you want to postpone the wedding to fix up your house, that’s fine. I will just have to leave town until you’re done because I don’t think I can resist kissing you again long enough for you to do everything you want to do.” That was the day that Sarah decided her house was perfect just the way it was.
One evening, while they were dining with John and Ida, Samuel told her about his day. He had participated in an open meeting with the city council to discuss his proposal to build a hotel. ”Everyone voted to approve the hotel. It was gratifying to see the town’s trust in me.”
“Where will this hotel go?” Sarah wondered.
“It will be located between town and the stage office. I want it to be convenient for visitors coming in on the stage while still being accessible to the townsfolk who might want to enjoy the dining room.”
“In fact,” Samuel continued, “I went to the land office today to see about buying the parcels I want. As it turns out,” he said with a dramatic wave of his hand, “my future bride owns all the land I need and a whole lot more.” When everyone, including Sarah, looked at him in surprise, he explained. “Your father,” he said, looking at his fiancé, “bought up parcels of land over the years, all on the stage office end of town. Do you have any idea why?”
“I’d forgotten about those parcels. He mentioned them in his will, something about thinking that’s where the railroad would come someday and wanting to provide for me. I don’t remember the details.”
“Your father did right by you,” Samuel said. “He built up a nice little nest egg for you. Your father was a lot wilier than anyone’s given him credit for, too. I expect you’ll see the railroad here within two to five years, and that will indeed be the side of town they want for building their tracks. They’ll have to buy the land from you in order to build. I could be wrong – it has been known to happen – but I do think your father made some wise investment choices.”
Sarah began to think of her father in a new light. She was still young when he was taken from her, barely a woman by most standards, and their relationship was still developing; only she hadn’t been mature enough at the time to realize it. Had he lived, she believed they would have had a rich relationship as she grew into adulthood. Sarah was saddened anew that they would never have the opportunity, but it made her cherish the memories of her father even more. She was buoyed by the promise that she would see him again in heaven someday.
Speaking to Samuel later that same evening as he walked her home, Sarah told him, “I know it shouldn’t, but I have to be honest, it tickles me to realize my father was a bit of a gambler.” At Samuel’s look of inquiry, she told him, “Papa was always so reliable in everything he did, so steady. I guess I thought of him as boring, even though I don’t think I realized it at the time. Gambling is frowned upon, and I understand why, but the way Papa bought all that land up – it was a gamble of sorts. That tells me my papa had a more adventurous spirit than I’d realized. It makes me feel closer to him somehow.”
****
Sarah and Samuel’s big day arrived brisk and beautiful. The sky was a bold shade of blue, and the church was filled to capacity. People who had watched Sarah grow up her entire life came to see her wed. Other people came because they had recently gotten to know Samuel and respected him, either for what he did in protecting the town from outlaws, or for what they believed he would do in the future for the town by building a hotel and hopefully bringing in more commerce. One thing was true, though – everyone wished this couple well.
Sarah wore her mother’s wedding dress. With a couple of minor alterations, the dress had been ready to go. It was not a style of dress she normally would have selected for herself. For her wedding day, though, she wanted to feel the presence of both her mama and papa here with her, and wearing her mama’s dress helped.
Sarah was a sight to behold in the rose colored silk. The fitted bodice was snug and showed off her shape to advantage. It had been designed for use with a corset, which Sarah donned. She did not wear the corset overly tight, but nonetheless, it emphasized the smallness of her waist while bringing much more emphasis to her bosom than she would have ever considered acceptable under other circumstances. The scooped neckline was a little on the low side, and the sleeves were capped high on her arms with more flounce than she was accustomed to. There was an almost transparent overlay of lace resting across the silk. Sewn into the lace were beads and faux jewels, causing Sarah to shimmer with every step she took.
Minnie had done Sarah’s hair. It stood in a beautiful twist atop her head, with a couple of loose curls allowed to flow down and frame her face. Ida loaned Sarah a veil and gloves.
Sarah stood in the foyer of the church as everyone was seated. Mayor Smith stood beside her, ready to walk her down the aisle when the music began. As they waited, Sarah mulled over the timing of Samuel’s arrival in town. God had brought him into her life at the exact right moment. He’d seen an ad she hadn’t even know about, an ad that was supposed to find her a husband. Because of that ad, he’d altered his plans, arriving in town much sooner than he’d originally intended. He came to her rescue that first day they met and had been rescuing her every day since in so many different ways. Today she was going to marry Samuel, her very own mail order man.
As she smiled at the thought, Mayor Smith spoke up, “Your papa would be truly proud of you, Sarah.”
Trying to lighten the mood so she wouldn’t be overcome with emotion, Sarah quipped, “Because I’m marrying such a handsome man, you think?”
The mayor cupped Sarah’s chin with paternal tenderness and gave her his no-nonsense-mayor look. “Because you are a woman who knows her own mind, who loves others, who cares about the less fortunate, and who follows God both with her heart and her actions.”
Releasing her chin, the mayor held out his left arm for Sarah. She threaded her hand thr
ough, resting it on his arm right below the crook of his elbow. He placed his right hand atop hers and, as the music began, asked, “Are you ready to go marry that handsome man of yours now?”
With a light chuckle, the two proceeded down the aisle.
Epilogue
Larkspur, Idaho Territory
1884
Samuel had not been far off. Almost exactly five years after they had wed, the railroad approached them about buying land to come through town. Sarah had let Samuel handle all of the negotiations. His business acumen left her in little doubt that he would do what was best for them as well as for the town. The railroad did not go in overnight; construction takes time. As a new spring was upon them, though, the railroad was getting ready to launch.
The Martinez family now ran the stage office. A couple of years of drought had made this a good choice for the family. They had done a fantastic job with it, too. Sarah knew her papa would be proud to see what the family had accomplished with the stage office as the town had grown. There would still be a stage coming to Larkspur until the trains got more regular, but the family was prepared. Thanks to a sound proposal Mr. Martinez had presented to the railroad people, the business would now be called the Larkspur Stage and Railway Office.
From where she stood on the front porch of Larkspur’s hotel, Sarah was able to look out toward the railroad. She came out here most mornings and felt that, from her vantage point, she was able to watch the changes coming to Larkspur. It was almost like looking into the future, she would tell Samuel.
Thoughts of Samuel warmed her heart as Sarah thought back over the years since they had wed. Sarah’s life before Samuel was boring by comparison. Everywhere he went he seemed to bring life with him, painting the world around him in bright vibrant colors when before it had been only monochromatic. She loved the color that Samuel brought into her life and never wanted to go back to the way she had been before.
“Hey love,” came the voice behind her.
She hadn’t heard him come out but was glad he had joined her on the porch. Leaning back into Samuel’s broad chest, Sarah sighed. They didn’t get many moments alone together, so she always cherished it when they did.
Altering his original design plans for the hotel, Samuel had added living accommodations for his family onto the back area of the ground floor. Not everyone would enjoy living in a hotel, but Sarah had taken to it quite nicely, much to his delight.
The early months of their marriage had shown them both that she was never going to be an extraordinary cook. Samuel loved his wife dearly and would never have said or done anything to hurt her feelings. When he first broached the subject with her about them having living quarters at the hotel, her first question was, “Does this mean we would take our meals in the dining room?”
Samuel’s sincere answer of, “We can eat in the dining room whenever you want to, but we don’t ever have to eat there,” was met with a shriek as Sarah jumped up and hugged him with a near stranglehold around his neck.
After kissing her husband soundly, Sarah exclaimed, “I’ve never wanted to say so, because I know it’s my job, but I’ve got to be honest. I can’t stand cooking! And I’m lousy at it, too! I don’t even like my own food. I’m worse at cooking than I am at making coffee! How you’ve been able to put up with it I’ll never know! Could we truly eat in the dining room? That won’t get too expensive?”
Samuel assured her they could eat every meal in the dining room if she desired. Over time they also put a table in the kitchen so the family could eat in there whenever they wanted more privacy and for those times when the dining room was too full.
Leaning back into her husband now, Sarah asked, “Where’s Ethan?”
“Your son, my dear, is taking a bath under the careful watch of the kitchen staff.”
“A bath? It’s barely sunrise. What happened?”
“I never knew one child could get into so much mischief. He asked if the fireplace was hot. I said, ‘No, it’s not hot right now.’ He apparently thought I mean it was okay to climb into the fireplace. It took less than a minute for me to turn around, but by the time I did, he was black from head to foot. All I could see were his eyes and teeth when he beamed at me as if he’d discovered gravity.”
“Do you think we’ll ever have any more children?”
Sarah had longed for a passel of children. They had been married for more than three years before Ethan came along, though, and so far there had been no siblings. She was content with the life God had given her, but she still wondered sometimes what it would be like to have a daughter, and she certainly thought it would be good for Ethan to have siblings. Being an only child had been rather lonely for her, and she wanted something more for her son.
“I think, love,” Samuel began softly, “that God grows families in all sorts of ways.”
****
Watching Sarah, waiting for the moment when she would realize what he was saying, Samuel continued, “Ida is my family, and I grew up with her, but her mother did not birth me.”
Sarah pivoted to look at her husband, her expression hopeful, “Are you thinking something specific?”
Samuel’s eyes wandered off toward the railroad and then back to Sarah. “I have heard talk recently of an orphanage up in Montana. It’s been mentioned to me several times, actually, in passing. When I hear something over and over again, it makes me wonder if God is trying to tell me something.”
“Adoption?” asked Sarah on a whisper.
“Would you be okay with that? Raising children who were not your own?”
“Oh Samuel, but they would be our own! If God sees fit to bless me with another pregnancy, I will care for and love that child with all my heart, but my heart is not so small that I could only love children I had birthed. Could we really adopt?”
“We don’t want to rush into this. I will write to the orphanage to see what I can learn, and in the meantime, we will keep this in prayer. This is a child’s life we’re talking about, and we want to make sure we are not rushing ahead of God.”
Sarah nodded, enthusiasm giving cadence to the motion. Samuel added cautiously, “Adopted children aren’t always easy. Sometimes they are angry and defiant, carrying deep hurts and fears that don’t show on the surface.”
Samuel was remembering back to his childhood when Ida’s family had taken him into their home. Though they had long ago ceased to have power over him, some of those memories were still painful. Resting her hand on his cheek she said, “Sometimes those angry defiant children turn into amazing wonderful people. They simply need love and patience.”
Samuel gazed down into Sarah’s eyes and knew with certainty that, while Sarah may see the future when she looked out of town toward the railroad, all he had to do was look into her eyes to see his future. Every step of it was going to be an adventure as long as he had this woman by his side.
About the Author
Heather Gray has lived in almost as many states as she has fingers, but she thinks of Idaho and Virginia as home. Aside from her long-standing love affair with coffee, Heather’s greatest joys in life are her husband and children as well as her relationship with her Savior. She decided years ago that she would rather laugh than yell. She carries that theme over into her writing where she strives to create characters that experience both the highs and lows of life and, through it all, find a way to love God and laugh out loud right along with her.
Also from Astraea Press
Chapter One
Strawberry Junction, Texas
April 1875
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Anna rushed her children inside, managing to tie the leather thong to hold the door closed before the deluge began.
Lightning slashed the sky, illuminating the kitchen and six-year-old Beth’s wide eyes. Zach used to read to their daughter when a storm scared her like this.
Tears stabbed the backs of her eyes, and Anna pressed one hand against her stomach. “It’s okay, Beth. It’s just a storm.” The words w
ould do little to soothe her daughter. Nothing much had since…
Anna stifled the thought. Now wasn’t the time to drag up memories that were best left where they were. “Sam, would you light the lantern, please?”
Sam, looking much older than his eight years, nodded and headed to the fireplace to retrieve the matches. “Mama, since we can’t play outside, maybe we could play charades.”
The offer was made as much for Beth’s benefit as his own. Sam knew how the ravages of nature terrified his sister. No matter how many times Zach had tried to comfort her, explain to her the reason for the storms, nothing mattered except the sound of his voice during those dark times.
“Well, that certainly sounds like fun. Beth,” she touched the top of her daughter’s blonde head, “do you want to help me set the table?”
Blue eyes as big as wagon wheels, Beth looked up at her and bobbed her head. She didn’t stray too far from Anna’s side on the short walk into the small kitchen, and, once there, she dug one hand into Anna’s skirts and held on.
The wind kicked up a notch, and the weather beaten rocking chair on the front porch creaked eerily. Beth whimpered and buried her face into the dark blue muslin.
Fighting back the tears that never seemed to really go away, she knelt and took her daughter into her arms. “What did daddy tell you about thunderstorms, Elizabeth?”
Sam finished lighting the lantern and joined them in the kitchen, answering for his sister. “That they were just God’s way of cleaning things up a bit. The air gets dusty, and sometimes, a good rain is needed. Besides that, farmers depend upon the rain.” He recited the words as though reading from a schoolbook.
Anna favored him with a smile. “Thank you, Sam.” She indicated the plates still stacked up beside the sink with a jerk of her head. “Would you please set the table for me?”