They started seeing each other, attending all the galas, going on outings together, and planning a future together as well as a wedding. But, with time, she began to change. At least, it appeared as though she was changing. The more Chase got to know her, the more he realized she was only satisfied with him when they were constantly going out or doing things.
When his father fell sick and when he had to spend more time at home and supporting his parents she began to drift away. She became demanding and unsupportive, refusing to help him or his family in any way. She became very angry with Chase when he was unable to take her out or to galas, and even more so when the Cunninghams were unable to throw their Christmas gathering.
They drifted further and further apart in their relationship with each other, arguing more and more as the days past. But, when he found out she was seeing someone else, Chase felt his heart break more than he ever thought possible. Of course, he sent for her immediately, asking whether the rumors were true, and he was even more devastated when she confirmed that they were.
At that moment, Chase knew what it truly meant to have a broken heart, and he was ruined. Bitter and angry about what she had done to him, he refused to speak of the issue with anyone. Instead, Chase began to suspect that all girls were just like Annabelle only wanting to be with him for what he could do for them.
As soon as there was any trouble on the horizon, he would find himself left alone once more left to face whatever it was that happened.
Chase wanted someone with character and personality someone with depth to their soul. But, Annabelle had led him to believe such women didn't exist. They were all shallow and selfish, looking out for themselves above all else.
Knowing that Charity was coming from a home who had to send her away due to financial issues, he already knew she would be shallow and likely one to cling to his finances and social status rather than to him as a person. She might appear to be wonderful at first she might appear to be everything he wanted in a wife, but he would have to remind himself that it was only temporary, only a show to get in his good graces.
No matter how charming she appeared to be, he would be careful with her. He would not open up his heart, and above all, he would not let her into his life. He had done that before, and it left him bitter, hurt, and scarred. He was a smart man, and he wasn't going to let that happen again.
After all, women were all the same. Money was their focus, not love. That’s why it didn’t matter who Chase married at this point. A mail-order bride was his best option. All he had to do now was be a good host and pray that Charity would arrive quickly so he could move past this stage in his life.
Chapter 3
The train whistle blew, causing Charity to start with a fright in her seat. She blinked, quickly looking around the coach. The old couple who had taken a seat across the aisle from her were both staring at her, and she felt her cheeks flush red. Though she was partially embarrassed, she was mostly annoyed that they would look at her in such a way. Surely, they had been nervous the first time they had ridden on a train—so she had every right to be.
“Can I help you?” she asked with an irritated tone. They stared at her for another moment, then turned to each other and began talking between themselves. She wanted to know what they were saying, but at the same time, she didn’t. Of course, they would be talking about her ill manners—but that didn’t matter.
The train whistle reminded her what had woken her in the first place, and Charity dragged her hands across her eyes, rubbing the rest of the sleep out of them. She couldn’t say that she had grown used to traveling on the train, but by the time they had reached Wyoming territory she felt comfortable enough to doze off between towns and stations along the way.
If the train wasn’t going to stop at a station, it merely blew its whistle as it chugged on through—waking her each time that it did. At first, Charity thought this rather annoying, as she had been sleeping fitfully at each hotel she checked in to, but soon, she became grateful for it. Waking gave her the chance to look around the coach and see what was going on with the other passengers, and helped her keep track of where they were on their journey.
“Brookside! Next stop, Brookside!” The conductor called out as he walked through the train car. Charity smiled at him as he passed, though he kept a straight face as he walked up the aisle. She didn’t know if he was really so somber as he did his job, or if he merely wanted to remain serious throughout his rounds due to the other passengers. At any rate, he kept his face on the door in front of him, walking through it and causing a blast of cold air to rush into the train.
There was one more coach for him to walk through, then he would turn around and come back, calling out the final stop once more. Charity would remain in her seat as he walked back through, but her heart would be pounding in her chest. She knew when the whistle blew again it would mean they were pulling into the station, and she would have to get off. The thought of it made a knot form in the pit of her stomach, and she couldn’t think clearly.
This was the moment she had been waiting for—she was going to meet Chase Cunningham, and she was going to have to tell him that she didn’t want to marry him. She hoped that her message had reached him in time. Her poor planning could inevitably leave her stranded at the station. Well, that wouldn’t be the worst place she’d had slept in this journey.
In the remaining miles of her journey, Charity thought carefully about how she was going to do this, and she had finally worked out a plan. It would be tricky, especially if this man had his heart set on marrying her, but it was necessary, and it was something she was going to do. Though she wanted to honor her parents above all else, it was time she started to think for herself—and choose to do things for herself.
She was an adult now, and as such, she was able to follow her own dreams and ambitions. It scared her to think that she was going to leave this place as soon as she could, and head out for the great unknown, but she was going to do it—no matter how scared she was in the process. Charity worried that her announcement was going to anger Mr. Cunningham, but she silently prayed that he would be kind to her—and allow her to stay with him until she was able to get the money to move on.
Convinced that all rich men were the same—indignant pigs—she knew there would be something she could work out with him. If he was simply trying to find a wife to satisfy his parents as his letter and his ad seemed to imply then she could make a bargain with him. This could be what she needed to help her family. She could only hope one thing could come out of this. Whether they were to pretend to get married or pretend to be engaged until his parents left, she would be willing to go through with it for a little while—as long as he understood how serious she was about leaving.
Of course, she wasn’t concerned with him falling in love with her—men like him couldn’t fall in love with the likes of her—or really anyone for that matter. They only cared for people based on what those people could do for them. As the conductor made his way back through the coach, once again calling out the next stop. She felt her heart skip a beat when he walked past, then the knot took a tighter grip on her stomach as the train whistle blew once more.
When the train finally came to a stop, the passengers began bustling about, rising from their seats and gathering their things. Charity, too, rose and grabbed her carpet bag from the shelf above her head, making her way to the front of the train. The old couple that had been behind her were still whispering between themselves as she slowly made her way to the front of the aisle, but Charity simply ignored them.
Her heart was racing by the time she reached the front of the coach, and she wished she had more time to scan the crowd before she had to step down onto the platform. Charity clutched her carpet bag to her side, sighing when it crumbled down into nearly nothing. She didn’t have much to pack, and it made her bag much smaller than if she had brought along any changes of clothes or anything like that.
Charity was overwhelmed. She frantically looked aroun
d as she walked through the crowd, but her throat felt tight and her breath rose in frantic puffs from her mouth. She wanted to call out and find the person she was supposed to meet, but the fact of the matter was that she wasn’t fully certain of who that was.
Suddenly, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder, and she whirled around. A man stood behind her, giving her a warm smile when her eyes met his. Charity’s hand had flown to her mouth to keep her from crying out in surprise, and he was quick to apologize.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, Miss, really I didn’t, but I think you might be the person I am looking for—Miss Stevens?” He watched her with a keen smile, and she nodded. “Follow me.”
Charity glanced around, an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She had convinced herself not to trust anyone, but now that she was in Brookside, she knew she was going to have to let that go. She stopped short when he turned back to her abruptly, looking down at her hand.
“May I?” he asked. She was confused for a moment, then she handed him the carpet bag, nervous about what he was going to do with it. She had seen servants interacting with their employers before, but this was the first time she had done so personally.
“I can manage.”
He shook his head.
“Not at all, Miss, it’s my job.” He gave her a nod and the two of them began pushing their way back through the crowd. She smiled and nodded as she pushed past men and women, feeling uncomfortable when they looked her over critically. They walked straight to a white coach that had been parked on the far side of the platform. The doors were closed, but she could see the form of a man sitting inside. He opened the door and stepped out, tipping his hat to her when she walked up to the door.
Charity felt her heart skip a beat when she saw him, and at once she knew that it had to be Mr. Cunningham. She had expected a man who was much older looking—and far less attractive. Mr. Cunningham was tall and very handsome with bright blue eyes and sandy brown hair. He had a square jawline and a smile that made her knees go weak, and he carried himself like a perfect gentleman—and a man who didn’t lack confidence or work ethic.
But, she her resolution to not like him came flooding back to her, and she was quick to put up a wall in her mind. Good looking or not, she didn’t want anything to do with him. They weren’t going to be “friends.” He couldn’t even drive himself to pick her up, after all, and that was enough for her to know he had to be as bad as she feared.
“Miss Stevens?” he asked, and she nodded. “I got your letter this morning. I didn’t realize you would be here so soon. Although I’m glad you are.” Charity saw a look of relief on his face.
“I bet you are,” she mumbled bitterly to herself. She straightened her back. “Mr. Cunningham?” she asked. He extended his hand with a stiff smile, and she placed hers in his. He lifted it to his lips with all the grace of a gentleman, but she had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. It felt as though he were putting on a show to impress her, as she had already seen him look over her attire.
“I hope you found your trip to be comfortable and uneventful?” he asked. She didn’t respond.
“It is always difficult for a woman to travel alone, but since I had to, I managed.” She spoke in a direct tone, and he gave her a look of concern. It was difficult to read the look that he had in his eyes.
“I apologize for that—I did offer to send an escort, but I was informed that you were to come as soon as possible and I hadn’t heard anything since. I understand how difficult it must have been for you with the war raging right there on your doorstep. I’m relieved you arrived safely.” He held his hand out, offering to help her climb up into the coach.
“I can manage,” she said with a bit of a defiant tone to her voice, and she climbed into the coach on her own. She sat down with a huff, adjusting her tattered and worn skirts about her legs as she did so. She felt horribly self-conscious, sitting in the fancy coach across from this well-dressed man, wearing nothing but a dress she had had for years. Her insecurity was quickly replaced with defiance, as she assumed he would be judging her for what she was wearing.
At one time, this had been her best dress, but now, it was clear she had worn it often—the fabric was thin, and the flowers faded. But, she was proud of herself and where she had come from, and when Chase sat down across from her, she gave him a look that challenged him to say anything about what she was wearing.
The driver closed the door and climbed on top of the coach, slapping the reins on the backs of the horses. The coach started with a jolt, but it was far smoother than the train. The silence, however, was awkward, and Charity felt the pressure to say something.
“He seems nice,” she commented.
“Hmm?” he asked. She looked up at the ceiling with a nod.
“The driver.”
“Oh, yes. That’s Wilson. Mr. Scott Wilson, but he primarily goes by Wilson,” he said rather absentmindedly. Charity didn’t know why, but she felt annoyed by his lackadaisical attitude. The man was out in the cold and driving them to whatever mansion Mr. Cunningham was to inherit. Whether he paid the poor man to work for him or not, she felt he should show the man more respect than that.
“I don’t want to marry you.” The words came flying out of her mouth so fast, she wasn’t fully certain she had said them out loud. But, the look Mr. Cunningham gave her from where he sat proved to her that they had. She felt her cheeks flush.
“Excuse me?” he asked, and she cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to marry you,” she said, this time with more shyness in her voice. It was difficult for her to look him in the eye when she spoke. Though she never had any problems with confidence, she felt he was very intimidating. It didn’t help that he was incredibly good looking on top of it, or that he moved with an equal level of confidence.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” she asked, not at all trying to mask the shock in her voice.
“That’s just fine,” he replied, as nonchalant as a lazy butterfly flitting from flower to flower.
“What? Why?” she asked, offense shining though her voice now. He shrugged.
“Because I don’t want to marry you, either.”
Chapter 4
Chase sat back in his seat, feeling as though he no longer had to make a good impression on Miss Stevens. He was actually relieved to hear that she didn't want to get married although he was confused as to why she would still choose to move out West. After all, she had moved with the intention of getting married, and she had given his valet her bag, so why would she tell him now that she didn't wish to marry him?
At the same time, he had to smile to himself, seeing the way she was squirming over in her seat, clearly offended that he had told her he felt that way. The look on his face showed her that she expected him to at least argue with her over her proclamation, when he looked to be quite relieved indeed.
"You're simply fine with the fact that I do not wish to marry you?" she asked, her tone showing how ridiculous she thought the situation was. He gave her his charming smile, then turned his attention back out the window.
"Of course. I have been told I am many things in life, but I am not the kind of man who will force a young woman to marry him. You are free to marry whomever you wish, and if that is not me, then so be it." He glanced back at her, but was quick to look away again, not wanting to engage her any more than necessary.
"Then why did you send for me? If you didn't want to get married, why on Earth did you have an ad in the paper?" she asked, her tone still seemed to shine with disbelief.
"I could ask you the very same thing. If you didn't wish to be married, then why did you come?" The look he gave her proved to her just how much he was enjoying their banter, and though he wanted to believe she was only annoyed with the situation herself, he could see in her eyes that she was intrigued with him. Chase almost felt a rush of satisfaction run through him. She appeared to be someone with whom he could have an intelligent conversation with someone
who wasn't afraid to share her opinions with him.
But, time would tell. He smirked as she shot a comment back.
"It wasn't my choice! My parents had to send me away due to the war. They chose you, and I obeyed." She crossed her arms and gave him a defiant look, but he chuckled. He knew he was annoying her, and he had to admit, he was enjoying it.
"So, please tell me if I am understanding this properly. You had to find someone to marry because of the war, so you allowed your parents to choose whom that was going to be. You didn't want to come, but you did anyway…to support your family? Then, somewhere between South Carolina and here you have decided that you no longer care what your parents have to say. Therefore, you are not going to marry me. Is that correct?" The look he gave her showed her that he wasn't taking her seriously, which only served to make her angrier.
"No, that is not what happened. You were correct in that they have sent me here, and yes, they are the ones who have chosen my husband for me, but I still care very much what they think. I want them to be happy, and I want them to believe that I have moved out here to live happily ever after. However, I’ve read about men like you and I am not going to sacrifice my happiness for the rest of my life because my parents did what they felt was best for me now." She raised her eyebrows as she spoke, once again giving him a look of sheer defiance.
Though it was clear she was doing her best to get an angry reaction out of him, Chase felt the situation was so amusing, he couldn't help but laugh. He allowed himself to be swept away, looking up at the ceiling and laughing heartily.
"Do you mind telling me what is so funny?" she asked.
"Oh, pardon me. I believed every word you said, until you so strongly proclaimed all of us rich men to be the same. I wonder what it is you mean by that." He folded his hands on his lap and looked at her with raised eyebrows, challenging her to explain herself to him. He could see that she didn't know what to say, but it was also evident in her eyes and her posture, that she wasn't going to show any defeat. He was intrigued to hear what she had to say next.
Mail Order Bride: A Bride's Unexpected Love: A Western Romance Book Page 3