Hannah: Bride of Iowa (American Mail Order Bride 29) (9 page)

Behind the chairs were two long tables with white tablecloths. Lunch would be served and the couple would go home to consummate their marriage. It all started as a lie and it would end as a lie. How could she go through with this? There was no choice. She had let it go on for too long. Maddie hoped, for the hundredth time, her secret would never be found out.

“Everybody will be arriving soon.” Kate’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “It’s time to get ready to start your new life.”

Maddie nodded and followed Kate up the stairs as dread settled in her stomach.

Chapter TWELVE

She had almost forgotten how beautiful the lavender gown was. Kate had put in a few darts in the bust area and the dress now fit to perfection. Maddie’s light brown hair shimmered as Kate pulled up the sides, using white ribbon to hold them in place. Ribbon and curls cascaded down her back. 

Kate stood back and clasped her hands together. “You look beautiful, Hannah.”

“Do I really, Kate?”

“You surely do.” Both turned at the sound of Bessie’s voice.

“My son is such a lucky man.” Bessie looked at her daughter. “Everybody is here and I just saw Pastor Stevens arrive. Could you go down and make sure everything is ready. I’d like to speak to Hannah for just a second.”

Without a word, Kate took Maddie’s hand, squeezed it, and left the room. “I have something I would like for you to have if you’ll accept it.” In her hand was a necklace — a single amethyst encircled by a row of diamonds on a delicate gold chain.

Maddie gasped. She’d never had anything so exquisite. “I couldn’t take something so beautiful, Bessie.”

“Of course you can.” Bessie waved away her objections and turned her around.

“Bessie, this needs to go to Kate.”

The older woman clasped the necklace and turned her back around. “I came from a family with a lot of money, Hannah. When my ma died, I was her only daughter and all her jewelry came to me. Kate has many pieces of jewelry and now,” her voice cracked with emotion, “I have a new daughter to give to.”

There was a knock at the door. Maddie heaved a silent sigh of relief, thankful she wouldn’t have to answer. She couldn’t if she wanted to. Gus poked his head in. “Everybody’s seated and ready. Let’s get this going.”

The women hugged and Bessie hurried from the room. Gus took Maddie’s hands and held them out wide. His nose reddened and his old eyes watered. He cleared his throat before trying to talk. “I am just so dang happy you are becoming part of our family. Not only is my boy getting a wife, and our Lizzy getting a mama, but me and Bess are getting us another daughter.”

“Oh, Gus—”

“Nope. No more Gus and Bessie. After today it’s Ma and Pa.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Let’s go down and get this done.”

As they walked down the steps, panic began to build. Maddie’s chest heaved. Her lungs couldn’t get enough air.

Gus was talking but Maddie couldn’t hear the words for the pounding of her heart. As if in slow motion, she watched Gus’s hand reach for the door knob. It slowly turned and then light filtered in from the outdoors.

The people she had come to love, rose to their feet. Frank had his arm around Kate as she dabbed her eyes with a hankie. Bessie, whose smile was as bright as sunshine, was holding Lizzy’s hand while the little girl jumped up and down and called to her mama. The good Dr. Charles Page was also there, standing with his hands behind his back, happy for his friend.

Her vision trained on the man who was to become her husband. Samuel’s dark hair glistened in the sun. He wore a pair of dark brown pants with a white shirt and a tan jacket. His smile was genuine and his translucent eyes radiated love. How could she continue this farce with a man who loved and trusted her with not only his own life but with that of his daughter’s?

Gus placed Maddie’s hand into Samuel’s. He winked at her before sitting down by his wife.

“You are a breath of spring on a winter’s day,” Samuel whispered in Maddie’s ear. He grasped her hand tight and turned to face Pastor Stevens, a tall, thin man with spectacles hanging on the very end of a pointy nose.  His blue eyes crinkled and his smile was gentle as he looked at the couple.

“Morning everyone. We sure enough have a beautiful day to celebrate the marriage of Samuel Morrison and Hannah Brown. I’ve know the Morrison’s for a lot of years and I must say it does this old heart good to see Samuel has found such a wonderful woman to…” He trailed off when Maddie raised her hand.

“Hannah, what is it?” Samuel’s smile disappeared when he saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

She put her hands to her chest and looked to the ground trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

“Hannah, sweet, you are scaring me.”

“I’m…I’m not Hannah, Samuel.” His eyes widened. She looked to the rest of the family and a sob bubbled up from her throat. “My name is Maddie Peters.”

“This can’t be. You replied to my letter. You were at the train depot in Iowa City.”

Pastor Stevens handed Maddie a handkerchief. “No, I didn’t answer your letter. My mother died and there was nobody else. She wanted me to go stay with cousins somewhere in Pennsylvania.” The tears kept falling. “I met Hannah Brown at the train station in Jamestown, New York. I’m sorry Samuel but she never wanted to be a farmer’s wife. She met somebody on the train and decided to go to New Orleans with him. She gave me the ticket and I pretended to be her.”

Lizzy leaped out of the chair and ran to Maddie, hugging her legs. “Mama, why are you crying?”

“So this has been a lie? All of it?” Samuel’s voice raised in anger.

Lizzy started crying. “Daddy, stop.”

Sobbing, Maddie bent to hug the girl. She kissed her on the cheek. “I’m sorry. I had every intention of telling you sooner but I found I was falling in love with you, Lizzy, and your family. I was…I was afraid I’d lose you if you found out.”

Samuel shook his head. “I don’t know who you are.”

She brought the handkerchief to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I hope all of you can forgive me.” Blinded by tears, Maddie ran to the house and up the stairs.

She slammed the bedroom door and leaned against it, letting the tears fall unchecked. Everything she ever wanted had just slipped through her fingers. Maddie could hear her pa’s voice, “No good ever came from tip-toeing around the truth.”
You were so right, Pa.

She pushed herself from the door and wiped her eyes. She needed to decide what to do, but first in order was to change her clothes and leave this house where she was no longer welcome.

What were her options? She still had most of the money she’d come with. That would get her lodging until she could find work. Maybe there was something for her in West Liberty. If she worked there, she might even still be able to see Samuel and Lizzy from time to time, but the thought of seeing them and not being a part of their lives brought about a whole new torrent of tears.

* * * *

When Maddie first ran into the house all she could hear was Lizzy crying, but now, she heard something else. It was the sound of everyone talking at once. She could make out snippets of conversation:

“Where was she from?”

“How had she met the other, real Hannah?”

“Who died?”

“That poor girl!”

“Poor Girl!” Samuel said, “I don’t even know who that person up there is? How in blazes do I know if what she said this time is even the truth?” Samuel ranted, pacing back and forth. “She took me, no, she took us all for fools!”

Bessie marched up to her son and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Did the pain that girl was going through escape your notice?” Samuel took a step back. “She didn’t have to tell you any of this. Anybody with a lick of sense could see the lying was eating away at her.” The old woman crossed her arms. “You are stubborn, just like your pa, but if you let her go,” Bessie quieted down and put her hand on her son’s arm, “son, you will be sorry.”

“Now just hold on a minute.” Dr. Charles Page walked over and put his hand on Samuel’s shoulder. “I agree with my friend here and I think Sam has every right to be upset. Let’s all take a step back and look at this. Here’s a girl that came out of nowhere and purposely deceived us all. She took advantage of Sam’s innocence and need for a wife and mother for his daughter. It’s surely not his fault she knew how to worm her way into his heart. And how did our poor Sam know she would be devilish enough to get Lizzy to love her and want her for a mother? It was definitely a well thought out plan from a person with ulterior motives.”

The doctor put his hand to his chin as if pondering what to say next. He snapped his fingers together. “You know what I think? I could take her on as my assistant. Though there’s a good possibility she’s in cahoots with Satan himself, I’m willing to take that chance as I could really use the help. She would be perfect. We’ve all seen how caring she can be, even though it’s probably just a clever disguise. I mean when Sam here was sick and she was so worried and did all she could to nurse him back to health, while taking care of Lizzy and doing the chores.” Charles shook his head. “How devious.”

Somebody snickered while others covered their mouths and looked away. “I even have an extra room at my house where she can stay.” Charles looked at everybody, his expression the picture of innocence. “Of course the relationship will be on a completely professional basis.”

He slapped Samuel on the back, not intimidated at all by the scowl on his friend’s face. “I think I’ll just go and see what she thinks of the whole idea.”

Samuel’s hand clamped onto the doctor’s arm. “You’re going nowhere. I get your subtle point.”

* * * *

Maddie was changed and on her way back down the stairs, praying she wouldn’t run into anybody. But her luck ran out when Bessie came through the door. With a sigh, Maddie put her bag down then she took Bessie’s hand and dropped the necklace into it. “I would have loved to have been your daughter.”

Bessie started to answer, but Maddie stopped her. “Please don’t say anything, Bessie. I thank you for all you, Gus, and Kate have done for me. I’ve got to go.” She picked the bag up and hurried passed her. Flinging the door open, Maddie ran square into Samuel.

He grabbed her arms to steady her then took the bag from her and dropped it on Kate’s kitchen floor. Without a word, he took her hand and pulled her behind him to the side of the house so they could have some privacy. Letting her go he got right to it. “Was this some sort of trick? If so, what did you think to gain?”

“It was no trick. It was exactly what I told you.” Her bottom lip trembled. “Please, Samuel, just let me go. I’m so humiliated and—”

“Do you love me?”

The abrupt question startled Maddie.  “I do love you, Samuel, more than you could possibly know, but you need to hear the whole story, every bit of it.” She told him the story about her father dying and Jeb marrying her mother. About Jeb attacking her and his death at the hands of her mother. “I buried my ma next to my pa and then burned down our house. I drug Jeb’s body for miles and shoved it in the Connewango River and didn’t give it a second thought. I met Hannah in Jamestown and she gave me the ticket.” She looked at the ground. “You know the rest.”

“I can’t imagine anybody going through something like that, but why didn’t you just tell me straight off when we met in Iowa City?”

“I didn’t know what kind of man you were, Samuel.  I had nothing and no place to go.” Maddie worried her bottom lip. “If you turned me away where would I have gone? When I realized I was falling in love with you I should have said something, but by then you and Lizzie were becoming the family I could only dream about. I was afraid of losing it all.”

Samuel took her hands in his. “I guess we better get married.” He brushed her cheek with his hand. “I want you to be the last thing I see before going off to sleep at night.”

“Oh, Samuel,” she said, wiping away the last of the tears, “I want to live the rest of my life in the warmth of your love if you’re sure you still want me.”

He brought his lip down on hers, hungry for her response and she didn’t disappoint. He broke away and said, “I have to ask you one more question before we finish up with this wedding.”

“Anything.”

“What did you say your name was?”

Chapter THIRTEEN

Samuel led her back to the family and put her arm through his. “Everybody, this is Maddie Peters and she is about to become my wife.”

“Well could we get a move on? I have a wedding meal that is ready to be served.” Kate winked at Maddie.

“I think we’re ready now, Pastor.” Samuel held Maddie’s hand throughout the ceremony. When it was time to put the ring on her finger, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick gold band with an amethyst encased in the middle.

Maddie brought her other hand to the necklace Bessie had given back to her. The necklace and ring were a matched set. Her glance flew to her new mother-in-law. Bessie, tears in her eyes, just nodded.

“Samuel,” the Pastor said, “go ahead and kiss your bride.”

Just before their lips met, Samuel whispered, “I love you, Maddie Morrison” then sealed the deal with a kiss.

Maddie was walking on air. Even though she was out of the lovely lavender dress and wearing a plain navy blue skirt and white blouse and her eyes were still a bit red-rimmed from crying, she still made a beautiful bride.

The luncheon included roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, biscuits and, of course, wedding cake. Maddie grabbed Kate’s hand. “We can never repay you for doing all this for us.”

“Nonsense,” Kate replied. “What are sisters for? Besides, you have Thanksgiving at your place.”

Hands came around Maddie’s head, startling her. Bessie clamped the necklace back in place. “You are truly my daughter now.”

“This beautiful ring was your mother’s also?”

“It was and I just can’t say enough about how I love seeing both of them on you.”

Maddie stood and kissed Bessie on the cheek. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she whispered.

“What’s all this about?” Samuel asked.

“Just a little something between a daughter and mother,” Bessie said before walking off.

Lizzy ran up with hands covered in white frosting. “I have cake, Mama!”

Maddie swung her up in the air and onto her lap. “I see that. Did you get any in your mouth?” She took a cloth and wiped the frosting off Lizzy’s hands and smiling face.

The sun was setting in the western sky and Maddie sensed Samuel was itching to get home to make Maddie his wife in every sense of the word. After getting everything cleaned up and put away, hugs and kisses and thank you’s were passed around and the newly married couple finally started home.

A silence hung in the air right after leaving Kate’s house. Samuel took her hand in his. “Are you tired?”

“It was a bit emotional, but I’m feeling wonderful. I’m very happy, Samuel.”

He put his hand on the back of her neck and brought their lips together, leaning her back into the crook of his arm. Her hand cupped the back of his head, as she gave all she had.

Samuel gently pulled her up and looked around. “Did you hear that?”

“I didn’t hear anything. What did it sound like?”

“Like someone yelled from some ways off. It almost sounded like they yelled my name — Morrison.”

Maddie looked around. Mostly she just saw corn stalks, but there was open land with a few stands of elm trees here and there. “When I was coming home from Kate’s the other day I thought I heard the neigh of a horse, but couldn’t see anything.”

“Hmm.” Samuel looked again in the direction of the trees “Probably nothing.” He took her hand again. “You know we’ve never talked about children. Are you going to want any little ones running around?”

She wasn’t sure how he wanted her to answer but after today she figured honesty was the only way to go. “I would like to have children, a couple of them as a matter of fact. But Samuel I would certainly understand if you don’t, after what you’ve been through and we’ll always have Lizzy.”

His blue eyes darkened as he searched her face. “I want a bunch of young’uns running around, but I must admit the thought does tend to get my nerves sizzling. Not sure what I’d do if I lost you.”

“You won’t be getting rid of me so easily my dear husband. I’m sure I’ll be around to get under your skin for a long time.”

He kissed the back of her hand. “In that case I can hardly wait to get home to get started.”

When Samuel pulled the wagon into their yard, he asked her if she would feed the chickens while he unhitched the horses and bedded them down for the evening. When they were done, hand in hand, they walked to the house. He opened the door and stopped her from going in.             

“I didn’t want you going into our home without this.” A squeak of surprise flew from her when he scooped her up into his arms. “Welcome home, Mrs. Morrison.” With a kick of his boot, the door shut and he carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.

* * * *

What a glorious morning. Even the angry looking clouds, that seemed to hang low enough to touch, didn’t dampen her spirits. Maddie had snuck out of their bedroom to start a fire and warm up the cold home. She grinned when she realized how late they both had slept, but who could blame them? It had been three days and two nights since she had become a married woman. Blushing, she thought of all the things she had learned at the hands of her husband and sleeping had definitely suffered for it.

Maddie bundled up and went to milk the cow. Gus and Bessie were bringing Lizzy home today. Her dreams had come true. She was part of a real family. So involved in her own thoughts, she didn’t hear Samuel sneak up behind her. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her up tight against him.

“I’m glad you are up, husband. I need to admonish you for sleeping in. There are chores to do,” she said.

“Can’t those chores wait a little longer?” He whispered, nuzzling her neck.

Maddie giggled. “I believe our poor cow is ready to burst as it is.” Maddie was jerked off balance when a loud grunt escaped from Samuel and he fell to the ground.

“Samuel!” He lay on the ground, blood gushing from a gash in his head. Behind him stood Chad Skinner holding his gun by the barrel. He was exactly as she remembered him. Filthy brown hair and evil radiating from his body.

Ignoring Chad, Maddie fell to her knees. “Samuel, please open your eyes.”

He didn’t move. Chad grabbed Maddie’s arm, pulling her to her feet. “Can’t do nothing for him, purty. You’re coming with me.”

She screamed, raking her nails across his face. For a second time, Chad used the grip of his gun and Maddie’s world went black.