Four
C hance sat in the office going over the letters that Violet Montgomery had sent to his aunt. Without the other half of the letters he could only speculate on some of what was being referred to. However, it was obvious that besides telling the young lady a lot about him, his aunt had also told her a lot about how she made matches.
Chance didn’t know if he wanted to tap into the information she had that might help him, or if he wanted to continue to avoid the woman at all cost. He had to admit if he was looking for a wife she would have caught his attention. She was beautiful with her long chestnut colored hair and hazel eyes. Her button nose was cute as a button as they say. But what really drew him was her crooked little cupids bow lips. The left side of her mouth was just a bit higher than the right leaving her lips looking slightly crooked and when she grinned it was obvious and made his heart race.
However he wasn’t in the place to entertain the thoughts of a wife. Any woman deserved better than a man who couldn’t even provide for himself let alone others. No mater how hard he had fought and scrapped he had let down his whole crew when he lost the ranch and if it wasn’t for Viola’s passing he’d be hitting the trail looking for a ranch to work just like the hands he’d had to let go. This beautiful woman his aunt had brought here to meet him deserved better than what he could offer her, and he’d find her a groom along with the rest of them.
There was a knock on the door and he looked up to see the very woman he’d been thinking about standing there. “Mister Redburn do you have a moment?”
Chance quickly opened the drawer in the desk and swept the file and all her letters into it before closing it and facing her. “Could this wait? I was just about to gather all the ladies and start working on putting together the information I need to make sure I can match them with a husband.”
“Would you like me to gather them all in the parlor then?”
“Thank you Miss… I’m sorry what was your name again?”
Violet turned and smiled at him. “Really Chance? This is the game you’ve decided to play with me? Pretending to forget who I am? I think based on those letters you just shoved into that drawer you know exactly who I am and both reasons I came to Bent.”
Chance hung his head. “You’re correct Miss Montgomery. I do know exactly why my aunt brought you out here. However, I must make it plain to you that I am not looking for a wife. I don’t have time to court a woman right now, and I have nothing to offer a wife even if I was looking.”
Violet nodded. “Oh I agree Mister Redburn. Right now you are too busy to court. You have absolutely no idea what you’re doing as a matchmaker do you?”
Chance’s eyes hardened, and he gritted his teeth. “Actually I do have a plan. It might not be the way Viola would go about it, but I will try what works for me and go from there.”
Violet stared at him for a few moments as if waiting for him to enlighten her. “My aunt promised you a job that included room and board and a husband. I will ensure that both happen. I’m sure I’ll have no problem finding some guy who will be ready to marry you, but it won’t be me.”
Violet smiled. “Let’s just concentrate on the nine other brides for now. I’m in no hurry to the altar.”
Chance smiled. “Then if you’d gather the women I’m ready to get started.”
He watched as Violet nodded and left. He grabbed the string he’d measured out and knotted every six inches for measuring the women. Before he could step into the parlor Beans came in and shut the door. “What are ya planning now Chance?”
He looked at the older cowboy. “I told ya it’s gonna work like breeding at the ranch. I have a list of the men in town who might be Viola’s clients, and I’ll be talking to them today to find out which ones are which until then I’ll get all the ladies’ names and their particulars. Then I’ll match them up to the men when I know who they are. I reckon we’ll be having weddings by the weekend.”
“I don’t think that’s gonna work Chance. There's more to a good marriage than if the size is good. I think you should find the men and then invite them over and see which of them have an attraction to each other. Won’t be as quick, but then I never knew your aunt to make quick matches.”
Chance shook his head. “This will work Beans; it’s scientific. It will work better than what Viola did.”
The old ranch hand stroked his beard. “Don’t come crying to me when this all blows up in yer face.”
“Just watch. This will work.”
Just then the door to the parlor opened, and Violet stuck her head in. “They’re all ready for you, Mister Redburn.”
Before you go out there,” Beans said. “I need to give you a list of supplies we’re needing. I didn’t expect to be feeding twelve people, so iffen you don’t get this stuff we’ll be out by morning on some things.”
He handed the list to Chance. “You might want to go to the mercantile first and see about figuring out who the grooms are before you start your big plan.”
Chance thought about that and looked into the parlor at the anxious faces of the brides. He nodded. “Right. Might be a good idea.” He grabbed his hat and gloves and strode into the parlor. “Ladies, Beans has given me a list of things we need, and I’m going to the Mercantile for supplies.”
Abigail looked at her sister Alice and sighed, and Adeline finally broke the awkward silence. “When will you tell us about our husbands?”
“Right… Well, let me get these supplies and then I’ll… We’ll discuss how best to move forward.” Chance stammered as he turned toward the door to make a quick exit.
Bertha Langston stepped in front of him. “What does that mean?”
“I won’t be too long. We will get started after I get back.” Then he slid around the woman and all but ran out the front and hopped in the wagon Beans had brought around front.
The girls all looked at Violet as she had brought them down to the parlor saying that Chance wanted them. All she could do was shrug her shoulders. “He’s a man what do you expect? They never make sense.”
Several of the girls giggled, and Bert just huffed off mad. It seemed like the young woman was either mad or lost in thought. It would take a special kind of husband to deal with her temperament.
Violet decided that she would get to work on being the assistant while she pondered what she was going to do about Chance. She had known from his aunt’s letters that he would be resistant to the idea of a bride, that’s why Viola had brought her as an assistant first and Chance’s match secondly. However the man seemed determined to find her a husband and quickly.
She started straightening the office and quickly realized why Chance kept putting the ladies off in telling them about their matches. He didn’t know who they were supposed to be matched too. There was no indication who had hired Miss Viola to find them a bride and there was no list of who the brides to match were either. Chance had no clue who these women were or who the grooms-to-be might be either. She knew now how to help him at least get started.
She sat down at the writing desk and pulled a sheet of paper out of the top drawer and made a list of the women in the house and where they were from.
1. Alice Bowen- 21 years old- Baltimore, Maryland
2. Abigail Bowen-19 years old- Baltimore, Maryland
3. Helena Hebert- 23 years old- Wayfair, Ohio says her father is coming in a week.
4. Myrakle Estes- 19 years old- Lawrence, Kansas. Deaf reads lips. Has a dog that helps her.
5. Jasmine Hammond- 19 years old Noelle, Colorado
6. Adeline Miller- 22 years old- Richmond, Virginia
7. Bertha(Bert) Langston- years old- Boston, Massachusetts
8. Esperanza Martinez - 26 years old -
9. Cina Fairbanks- 18 years old- Florida- is a school teacher and wants to continue teaching if she can.
Besides herself that was the information that she had on all the brides. She wasn’t giving him information on herself because she had every intention of refusing every m
atch he tried to force on her. She knew who she wanted. She trusted Viola’s judgment and the dear matchmaker had been convinced that she and Chance would make the best match. She’d refuse his attempts at giving her to another groom and then if worst came to worst she’d make sure that she was the lone woman living in the house with two single men so that the local widows would demand he marry her.
There were several ways to catch a husband. If she couldn’t do it honorably, then she’d trap him into marriage. That’s how much she trusted his aunt’s judgement.
She’d just finished her list when the triangle sounded announcing that lunch was ready. At lunch she’d talk to the ladies, and they could work out a schedule to cook and clean and help Chance and Beans. She would need to have a conversation with the cook too, and see if she could get Beans to help get Chance on board the wife train. But first, food and chores list.
Five
C hance pulled up in front of the mercantile. He really didn’t want to fill this list. Some of it he knew was foodstuffs that Beans needed, but some of it was stuff that the old cook thought they should have on hand with a bunch of women in the house.
While he knew it was probably necessary, or that the women would find the items necessary, but he had no desire to be looking for fancy soaps, lotions and perfumes. He hoped that Jacobson or his wife knew what the old cook was talking about. How did Beans even know about those things?
He climbed down from his wagon thinking about grooms and brides and praying that he wouldn’t destroy Viola’s legacy like he’d done his own. He entered the store to see Newt Jacobson at the counter. While he wanted to just ignore the non essentials that Beans had put on the list he knew that they would make the brides to match happy. Happy, satisfied stock sold better than unhappy cantankerous stock and Chance figured the same could be said about brides. They were already upset with him, if bringing home these doodads could put them in a better mood then it was worth the embarrassment purchasing them would bring to him.
Chance walked up to Newt and the merchant smiled at him. “Morning Chance, heard you and Beans moved into Viola’s place. Sorry to hear about your ranch.”
“Thanks Newt, listen I don’t know if you’ve heard yet but it appears that one of the last things Aunt Viola did before she got sick was send for a bunch of Brides to Match. I got ten women over at the house. Beans seemed to think we need these here things.” He handed the list of toiletry items to the storekeeper. “I ain’t got any clue what some of these things are or where to find them.”
Newt started laughing. “You’re stuck trying to find matches for ten brides? That sure is a different job than herding cattle ain’t it.”
“Viola left the business to me; she seemed to think I could do it.”
“Well, good luck with that. I reckon you should go talk to the widows over at the ladies auxiliary. They’re meeting at the church this afternoon. I know they used to help your aunt as chaperones when she had more than one bride. You should think about keeping one for yourself otherwise your brides might end up with ruined reputations before you can marry them all off. I mean while there's several no one will say anything, but a woman living with two single men, it won’t look so good.”
Chance glared at his friend. “I’m in no position to take a wife right now.”
Newt shook his head. “I’d say you’re in the perfect position Chance. I’m not sure you’ll be successful as a single matchmaker.”
“Viola was single.”
Net shook his head. “Everyone knew Viola’s true love died in the war. To the people around here she was a war widow even if they hadn’t exchanged vows. You, however, are a single rancher living with a bunch of single women. It won’t sit well with the local wives and widows.”
“I’ll put the brides up in the hotel iffen I need to, but I ain’t being forced to marry for the sake of the business.”
“It’s not just their reputations that’s going to be a problem Chance. Why would anyone think you can make the kind of matches Viola did when you’ve not made one of your own?”
Chance could see that Newt knew he was getting angry. The clerk held his hands up in surrender, “I’m trying to help you. Just think about it.”
Chance sighed and turned to gather the supplies for the kitchen that Beans wanted while the shopkeeper began putting together the items for the ladies. Chance did wonder if the man was right. Was he going to have to marry to protect his stock of brides? After all the woman Viola brought for him was lovely and something about her certainly made him sit up and take notice. But what if he married and they didn’t match? Or worse what if they married, and he couldn’t make a go of being a matchmaker then he’d be without a job and a wife to support, and he couldn’t travel as a cowboy with a wife. It just wasn’t done.
He paid for the supplies and loaded them in the back of the wagon. As he was getting ready to climb up in the seat he saw Rafe Adams, carpenter and furniture maker, heading toward the saw mill. Rafe had a bad stutter and didn’t talk much which gave Chance an idea. He was the kind of man who probably had asked his aunt for help finding a wife. “Hey Rafe, can I talk to you for a minute?”
The man nodded and crossed the street to where Chance stood. “H-h-h-howdy Ch-ch-ch-chance.”
Listen, I don’t know if you heard, but I’ve taken over Aunt Viola’s matchmaking business. If I’m remembering right I believe you are a client of hers.”
Rafe nodded, “Y-y-yes Sir, I-I-I am.”
Well I had a whole herd of brides arrive last night, and I think one of them is the perfect match for you.”
Rafe’s eyes widened, but he said nothing. Chance smiled at him. “Why don’t you come to the house when you can later today and let me introduce you.”
With Rafe’s speech impediment he didn’t talk much and that one girl with the dog was deaf so even if he did speak she wouldn’t hear his stutter. They were perfect. Not only that but using the method that helped him with cattle breeding they were just about the right size to do well together. Rafe nodded. “I-I ca-ca-can c-co-come.”
“Okay then, We’ll see you in a bit.”
Rafe nodded and then headed back toward the sawmill.
Chance smiled. Yep, he thought, this wasn’t so hard, he had this matchmaking thing off to a good start.
Violet and the other brides helped to unload the wagon load of supplies that Chance had brought back from the mercantile. The brides were well pleased with the scented soaps and lotions that had been brought back and that seemed to please Chance.
The only negative had been when Myrakle Estes tried to explain to Chance that one of his male clients had come to specifically ask to be matched to her. Violet thought now would be a good time to let Chance know she had made a list so they could get started on matching the women.
“Mister Redburn I’ve straightened the office for you, and I need speak to you and show you what I’ve done if you have a moment.”
Chance seemed to be irritated now instead of pleased like he’d been a moment before. “I don’t have time to look at the office right now. We have grooms going to come by later, and I need to meet with the ladies to prepare them. Can you please gather them up in the parlor and I’ll be right there.”
“Of course, right away.” Violet walked up stairs and started gathering the ladies to move them to the Parlor. As soon as she mentioned that Mr. Redburn wanted to meet with them and get started on their matches the Brides to Match all hurried to the parlor with nervous anticipation. The women were so anxious that even Dumpling, Myrakle Estes little dog had trouble settling down.
Then Chance walked into the room with that pleased smile back on his face. He had a cup of coffee in one hand with his ledger stuck under his arm held tightly against his body. In his other hand was a coil of rope with a series of knots tied into it. What in the world? What is he up to now? Violet was given the answer quickly as he sat the coffee on one of the end tables and faced the brides. They all looked up at him waiting to see what he
wanted. "Alright, ladies. I need to gather some information on you. Could you all stand?"
He sat his cup down, took the ledger from under his arm and licked the end of the pencil. He stepped up to Helena and grasped her chin with his thumb and forefinger, forcing her mouth open. He leaned his head down and peered into her mouth. She coughed and gagged, staggering back away from his rough handling. “Mr. Redburn!”
He held the knotted rope up in front of the poor woman, and she swatted his hand away from her head. Unaffected by her show of dislike Chance wrote something in his ledger
"What are you doing?" Helena demanded of him, but he ignored her. Violet slipped up beside him and looked over his shoulder at his ledger. She could see he had it divided into sections they were: Bride, he’d written “#1” then next was Teeth: which had the note. In good condition none missing, clean and fresh. Then next to that was the next section and Violet opened her mouth to stop him before he did the inexcusable, but just as she tried to quiet him he looked at Helena “I’m writing down your information. This will help me to match you to a compatible suitor.”
Helena looked confused “Mister Redburn…”
Before she could finished Alice Bowen interrupted her in a confused voice. "Wait a minute! You don't know who Miss Viola had us matched with?"
Violet quickly spoke knowing that Chance would tell them that there was no information on any of them and that would be disastrous. “She wouldn't have had that information until she got to know you better, Miss Bowen."
Unfortunately Chance spoke right after her only giving her a quick irritated look. "I'm afraid my aunt took what information she had to her grave, along with her recipe for cat-head biscuits." He nervously chuckled and the girls looked stunned at his revelation. She could see hysteria was about to take over most of the brides. “Let Mister Redburn speak,” she interjected, and the women all folded their arms over their chests and sat back waiting to see what he would do next. Again he gave Violet that irritated look as if he thought she was interfering. “Now ladies…” he again licked that pencil tip, and Violet shuddered. She’d have to break him from that terrible habit. “This is necessary, I assure you."
A Bride To Herd Page 3