Bartered Bride Romance Collection (21 page)

“Or a barefoot one,” he added.

Bethany turned a beguiling shade of rose. “Oh, Penny didn’t tell you about that, did she?”

“About you being barefoot?” He had no notion what she referred to, but she’d sparked his curiosity.

“Truly, Joshua, I normally wouldn’t be so bold as to be caught in public in such a state, but it was the price of vanity.”

He chuckled and repeated, “Vanity?”

Her eyes glittered with humor, and her beguiling smile demonstrated the ability to laugh at herself as she confessed, “I’ll never again waste money on shoes that are too big.”

“Even if they’re beautiful?”

“I assure you”—she winked at Penny and Papa as he swept her by their table—“those slippers weren’t worth it. Penny and I spent over an hour scrubbing the mud off the hem of my dress after that debacle.”

“Where are those shoes now?”

She let out a small gasp. “You’re naughty. You didn’t know the story, after all.”

“You can’t leave me wondering.”

“Very well. I doubt those lovely Italian leather slippers are still stuck in the mud. Most likely, someone happened by and declared they were an answer to prayer.”

He smiled down at her. “Bethany, my dear, I’m sure you’re right. I firmly believe in answered prayers.”

Chapter 2

O
h dear. I didn’t think Uncle Bartholomew’s wedding gift would be a problem.” Bethany emerged from behind the dressing screen wearing her new bottle-green-and-gold-striped dress and hastily slipped her snowy nightgown into the top bureau drawer. “Are we having our first fight?”

“It’s hard for me to tell. You hid behind the screen until you were buttoned up suitable for church, and now you won’t look me in the eye.” When she summoned the courage to glance at Josh in the mirror, he patted the mattress in a silent invitation to come sit beside him.

Too embarrassed to share that perch since it was the site of last night’s intimacies, Bethany sashayed to the raspberry velvet settee and tilted her head in a counteroffer for him to join her. To her relief, he was mindful of her sensibilities and didn’t even comment about the fact that her heated cheeks must match the furniture.

Josh padded across the floor in his stocking feet and sat beside her. “I confess, you surprised me.”

Bethany couldn’t hold back her laughter. “No doubt, I’ll do plenty of that over the next fifty years or so. Seriously, though, Joshua—Uncle Bartholomew insisted.”

“We were going to share the wagon with Papa and Penny.”

“The wainwrights already made and delivered the wagon. I even chose a beautiful shade of emerald and had them paint it.”

“Pretty or not, it’ll still need a team of oxen.”

“Of course it will. They’re in the stable with the wagon.”

Josh’s brow knit, and his eyes sparked with an emotion she’d not seen yet as he said, “You’ve taken to arranging a lot on your own.”

Bethany laid her hand on his muscular arm. “Don’t you see? This way we’ll start out with a little home of our own, and we can take more essentials.”

Looking less than convinced, he cast a glance at the trunk in the corner of the bridal suite. “Just what essentials are we supposedly missing?”

“Oh, I started with ‘Ware’s Guide to Emigrants’ as a foundation and composed a list of necessities. Some things are already packed in the wagon.”

He pulled a folded list from his shirt pocket. “I think we’d better compare lists. Mine is from Marcy’s
The Prairie Traveler
.”

Bethany twisted to the side, opened the reticule she’d set on the table, and pulled out a list at least five times as long. “Yes, well, that list was written by a military man. He simply didn’t expect to have to set up a decent home at the end of his trip. I’ve pared this down to the barest essentials.”

“Let’s have a look.” He took the slip and began to read. His very stillness amazed her. The men she’d seen at church or the fathers who came to visit their daughters at the academy often rattled coins in their pockets, drummed their fingers, or jiggled the foot they crossed over the opposite knee—but Josh had a way of settling onto a seat and looking completely at ease and in command. At Christmastime that instilled a sense of calm in her. Now it made her nervous. She’d never sat alone with a man, yet she was married to this one!

At first he nodded in agreement with the items she’d listed. As the seconds ticked by, his expression became guarded. Finally, he turned and gave her a look of disbelief. “Calling cards!”

“They weigh nothing and take almost no space. I know every inch has to count, so I selected dishes and pots that all nest together. What did you think of the furniture?”

“Two chairs, not four. The bench and table are fine. Papa and I already lost the battle with Penny about the quilts.” He winked. “I’m not going to waste my breath and go down to defeat again.”

She eased back a bit on the settee. “I’m so glad you’ve agreed to the wagon. Since Uncle had his man procure it, it never occurred to me to ask you.”

The corners of Josh’s mouth pulled tight for a moment. “We’re a team now, Beth. I’ll always expect you to consult with me.”

They went down the list, and Bethany tried to compromise. She would have anyway, but after unsettling Josh with the wagon, she wanted to ease his concerns. She sacrificed her barrel of straw-packed china and crystal. Wishing to show her cooperative spirit, she even agreed they’d bedroll beneath the wagon instead of using military camp cots.

“I’m not sure why you’re taking a cookbook. You’ll be making beans, biscuits, side meat, and mush.”

Bethany shook her head. “Oh, no. Mrs. Collins’s
The Great Western Cook Book
was a wedding gift from the girls at the school. They’ve been helping me research what will store and pack. We made jerked beef, dehydrated vegetables and fruit, and found other things to take so we’ll have nice meals. You might have noticed I don’t list salterus because I’m taking something new called Rumford baking powder. I bought some foods already, but we’ll need to buy others at the mercantile here in Independence.”

“Penny bought some supplies, but she was waiting until you arrived to get most of the provisions.”

Sliding her hand over his, Bethany tried to choose her words carefully. “I know it’s a delicate subject, but I’d rather discuss it with you.” Encouraged by his approving nod, she continued. “Since … funds … have become a temporary issue for Papa and Penny due to your father’s reversal of fortunes, I thought perhaps you and I could beg their indulgence because it’s our honeymoon and shop for the supplies ourselves.”

He smiled. “That would suit. Papa’s pride has him spurning my assistance, but I doubt he could refuse you anything.”

“Perfect!” Bethany drew another item from the reticule. “Here you are.”

“What’s this?” Josh took the folded envelope and about choked when he looked at the letter of credit inside.

“My inheritance. The family attorney wired the funds to Mrs. Throckmorton once I received your proposal. I’m so relieved to give it to you. Carrying it made me nervous.”

“It’s a very substantial legacy. We’ll endeavor to be good stewards. Did you have any hopes or plans for this?”

“I thought we’d use it to buy our supplies.”

“Sweetheart, I can more than afford to provide for us. God’s been very gracious to me. After our tithes and offerings on this, why don’t we save the remainder and use it to build a nice house in Oregon or fund our children’s educations?”

His reference to children made her cheeks grow warm. Eager to change the subject, she insisted upon Joshua showing her everything in his trunk so she could determine whether he had all he’d need, then was mortified that he insisted on inspecting the contents of her trunk. To her relief, he simply dipped his head when she held her hand against one drawer and choked out, “Small clothes.”

“I’m pleased at how practical you’ve been,” he praised, studying her dress. “Pretty, but not too many frills.”

“Hopefully, the green and gold won’t show dust or grass stains too badly.” She looked down and pretended to brush away a speck of lint. “Everyone at the academy was so excited. They sewed clothes for me, and we figured out just how to use every last inch in the trunk. I don’t think I could wedge in another thing.”

“Not even another pair of Italian leather slippers?”

She buried her face in her hands as laughter bubbled up.

Josh took her wrists, kissed the backs of her hands very tenderly, then winked. “I’m teasing, but I’m not. I really do think you need another pair of shoes. Since I don’t know how many pairs of stockings you have, we’re going to get you a few more pair.”

“Me? Oh, I don’t think I’ll need any. Quite the opposite; I was trying to find a diplomatic way of telling you I think we still need to stock up on essentials for you.”

“I followed the list.” He patted his pocket.

“That list was designed for an army man, not a doctor or family man. I’ll make a deal with you: I’ll get another pair of shoes and see to completing your necessities, and you can obtain more medical items to pack. One of the advantages of taking our own wagon will be that you can have a better supply of implements and pharmaceuticals.”

After room service delivered their breakfast, they dined over by the window and watched the streets bustle with folks all preparing for their westward treks. Bethany added cream to her tea and asked, “Do you think we ought to buy a milk cow to take with us?”

“Have you ever milked a cow?”

“No.” She waited a beat and added, “Just a goat.”

He chortled softly then leaned forward. “Papa already bought one and named her Lady Macbeth because she’s almost all white and has reddish brown spots on her forelegs.”

A school bell clanged nearby. Josh consulted his pocket watch. “We’re supposed to be at the meeting in fifteen minutes.”

“I’m eager to meet all of our traveling mates. Aren’t you?”

He rose and pulled out her chair so she could rise then bent down so his breath brushed her cheek. “Not especially. The most charming one is already in my wagon.”

Josh sat next to his bride and looked at folks in their square of benches. For the past twenty minutes, their guide, James “Rawhide” Rawson, had outlined their route and set out the rules for their train. He’d then divided everyone into three groups of twelve wagons apiece. Each group was to get acquainted.

Though Bethany sat with her knees pressed together primly, she folded and unfolded her hands in her lap. Just about everyone else seemed to be in motion, too. They crossed and uncrossed legs, fiddled with clothing, and gawked around, but Josh sat motionless. He could focus better when he stayed still, and he’d learned while sitting at his mother’s bedside as her health faltered that tranquillity tended to be contagious. Whenever he sensed others needed calming, he purposefully acted restful. As far as he could tell, half of these folks were far too eager and needed to settle down; the other half were nervous enough that they needed to calm down. He shot Bethany a quick look and decided she fit into the latter category, so he slipped his hand over hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze as he suggested, “Why don’t we get going on the introductions?”

A spry, fiftyish woman stood and bobbed her head at everyone. “I’m Willodene Haywood. Y’all just call me Granny Willodene.” She cast a glance at the collection of children all wiggling in the middle of their square. “I reckon we’ll never keep straight whose young’uns are whose today. May as well let ’em go out and frolic. You biggers mind the littlers. We’re all gonna be together, so best you all learn to play nice.” The children obediently traipsed outside.

Following Granny Willodene’s example, folks introduced themselves. The Greens, Schmitts, and Barneses were all farming families, looking for a brighter future. Clearly, Orson and Eulalie Millberg counted themselves a cut above the rest of the travelers—they brought a little Irish maid along and hired a sturdy, taciturn man named Dillon Trier to haul their prissy daughter’s piano in a second wagon. Rawboned Mr. Sawyer announced he’d be happy to use his carpentry skills to help folks out with their wagons if problems came up. The three Cole brothers looked brawny as oxen, and Josh thought the pharmacist, Mr. Harris, might be a nice companion for his own father and a professional ally for himself. He’d not paid attention to the man’s daughter, but Bethany whispered, “Emma has such a shy, sweet smile.” Young Parson Brewster, who performed their wedding, came over and took a seat. Bethany perked up a bit, and Josh suspected she subtly nudged Penny. He quelled a smile. Penny had played matchmaker for them; it would serve her right if Bethany returned the favor. Mr. Crawford, a book and Bible salesman, looked to have his hands busy with a wife, sister, and kids in tow. With Papa and Penny’s wagon and theirs, the full dozen were accounted for.