Josie: Bride of New Mexico (American Mail-Order Bride 47) (2 page)

Lawrence, Massachusetts

September, 1890

Josie Hadley looked through the train window at all of the girls that had come to say goodbye to her and her sister at the train station. Tears of mingled relief, sadness, and gratitude filled her eyes.

She was touched, genuinely humbled by the fact that so many Lessie had worked with had shown up to see them off. Many had been Josie’s roommates and friends, too.

If only they could do the same for the other girls when their time came.

Josie and Lessie may be blood sisters, identical twins— but this group was their family by choice. All of them worried about their futures. Becoming a mail order bride had never been discussed until the fire changed the course of their lives.

So many had arrived at the same conclusion as Josie and Lessie— the time had come to leave Lawrence. Time for a fresh start.

And Leslie and Josie were some of the first to go.

Perhaps, seeing them off, made it all the more real for all of them.

“Goodbye. Goodbye!” Waving handkerchiefs, kisses blown from palms of hands, tears, and promises to write… she would likely never see any of these women again.

Letters would be all she had, and she
would
write, despite her minimal knowledge of letters and difficulty reading.

Josie and Lessie waved back. Josie’s own smile ached, felt so forced in the wave of homesickness that already gnawed at her insides. But she’d been so certain, so adamant she and her twin grab this opportunity to remain together. The only advertisement in
Groom’s Gazette
that wanted two women for two men.

The train slowly pulled out of the station in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The first leg of their journey to Utah Territory. Long, arduous, an expanse of two thousand miles. Inconceivable, given neither Lessie nor she had ever been beyond a five-mile radius in Lawrence.

Josie clung tighter to Lessie.

One of the best parts of having a sister, especially a twin sister— even better an identical twin sister— was everyone understood the two were a matched set, a pair.

Where one went, the other followed.

They belonged together. She’d always had someone. She was never alone.

The train picked up speed, the trees moving past in flashes of green and the first hint of autumn’s colors.

Josie swallowed her homesickness. The useless emotion wasn’t welcome for she had her sister, her strong, indomitable twin who had always been able to figure everything out.

She always put her trust in her sister. This time would be no different.

Lessie’s arms tightened about her.  “Don’t worry, Josie. We’ll always have each other. I promise you that.”

“I know.” Her sister had never let her down. “I know.”

“Think of it as an adventure.”

Familiar words that made Josie laugh despite her tears.

Josie knew her sister only wanted to cheer her up and share her limitless courage. Josie vowed she would not let Lessie down either.

Josie forced a smile, and knew that while Lessie would see through it, she’d appreciate the effort. “It’s going to be wonderful. We’re to be married, have babies, and live happily ever after. Isn’t that right?”

Lessie nodded and gave her an equally strained smile. “Yes. This will be a
grand
adventure.”

Chapter Two

Ogden, Utah Territory

October 9, 1890

On the most important day of his adult life, Adam Taylor arrived at Ogden City’s Union Pacific Station with ample time to spare.

If his parents knew of the scheme he and his cousin and business partner, Richard Cannon, had cooked up, they’d faint. No, they’d scream and
then
faint.

But his parents were old-fashioned. They’d fallen in love as young people, courted most appropriately with Grandfather Cannon’s permission. After that lengthy courtship they’d become engaged and married a respectable eleven months later.

So very
traditional
.

He couldn’t argue the success of his parents’ methods. They’d enjoyed nearly thirty years of marital bliss with no end in sight.

Adam couldn’t regret his decision to order a wife through the mail, via a careful listing of requirements. He didn’t merely want love and happiness… he wanted a woman with essential qualities.

The twins’ telegram had verified they did indeed meet every specification. And though he didn’t yet know which of the twins— Miss Lessie Anne Hadley
or
Miss Josie Anne Hadley— would be his, both ladies were suitable.

How would he know which one was for him?

The twins were due to arrive within the quarter hour on the
Overland Flyer
Express via Omaha. And with each passing moment, Richard became more irritable.

They both had plenty on their minds. Even he, Adam, who’d always had an easier time separating the pressures of business from his private life, the crises awaiting him on the other end of his scheduled wedding trip to New Mexico was never far from his thoughts.

Would his bride be up to the task?

But first things first.

Meeting. Marriage. And then he’d tell her all about the serious trouble within Cannon Mining.

He
needed
help.

At long last the
Overland Flyer
arrived and the passengers began filtering into the new Union Pacific rail depot, a stylish and large station catering to the needs of the traveler. Everything from a thirty-room hotel to restaurant to access to donkey-drawn trolleys on the streets outside.

“How will we know them?” Richard paced, scanning the growing crowd of people.

Adam chuckled. He’d fielded this question no less than twice already. “Look for two young ladies traveling alone. You’ll know them when you see them.”

Adam stood beside his cousin, searching the crowd for the least colorful gowns, the least stylish hats… and his gaze finally found two petite, slender dark-haired beauties with the darkest brown eyes.

Identical
twins.

One of them noticed him. Her gaze locked with his, even as she communicated wordlessly with her sister— a touch, a squeeze on her waist.

Almost as if he were seeing double, the shock of two incredibly lovely ladies in perfect mirror image and the boldest of eye contact was too much. He quickly turned to Richard, “I believe I’ve found them.”

Richard fell into step beside Adam as they crossed the grand lobby. Adam needed to at least ask if they were the party they sought. How else would they know?

Which is for me?

The closer he and Richard came, the more aware he was of every detail of the perfectly identical— and absolutely lovely— women. Long, thick, dark eyelashes and the darkest brown eyes he’d ever seen on a white woman. Freckles dotting the bridges of their noses.

He searched for anything at all that would tell the women apart. A slight difference in the shape of their eyes? Or perhaps the way their hair curled?
Nothing
. He’d never seen a more matched set of book ends in his life.

So petite, just reaching his shoulder. And underweight.

Adam had never missed a meal in his life, at least not out of inability to feed himself. His parents had always enjoyed abundance. He knew immediate and overpowering compassion for women who worked too hard and had inadequate food.

That want, that desperation stopped
now.

In glancing from one young lady to the other, he realized one of the only variances was a dingy lace trim about the neckline of one sister’s dress, while the other’s had none. Both gowns were washed to a dull gray, heavily patched, threadbare, and likely a display of their financial situation.

Adam removed his bowler and bowed at the captivating creatures. “Ladies, I am Adam Taylor.”

One of the girls stood slightly behind the other, her hand clutching her sister’s. This one, partially shielding herself with her twin seemed to relax visibly, as if locating Adam and Richard had been the source of her anxiety.

The braver one, in front, lifted her chin a notch and sought Richard’s gaze.

With no response forthcoming, Adam pressed on. “Are you the Hadley sisters from Massachusetts?”

The shyer girl nodded and seemed to slip a bit further behind her sister.

“I’m Lessie Anne Hadley. My sister,” indicated the bolder sister with a nod, “Miss Josie Anne Hadley.”

Relief surged within Adam. He couldn’t be happier. He and Richard had considered the possibility of the homeliest of women, or perhaps the most dishonest, ill-suited women, not anywhere near the type of woman they wanted to marry much less needed for the salvation of Cannon Mining, might arrive in Ogden City… and then what would they do?

With that threat off the table, Adam wanted to whoop with satisfaction. “Welcome, ladies. We’re so glad you’ve arrived safely. May we assist you with your trunks?”

The bolder sister, Lessie, met Adam’s eye. “Thank you for your kind offer, sir, but all we have is this one bundle.”

Adam took note of the small, thin bundle— it couldn’t contain more than one or two sets of clothes— and glanced at Richard who raised an eyebrow. They’d been close since young childhood, more brothers than cousins, and Adam could read Richard’s unspoken thoughts.

In that moment, Richard acknowledged what Adam had argued— that they both needed to make arrangements to see their wives properly dressed before winter.

Adam had been certain the women would arrive with minimal possessions but Richard had argued.
New England winters are harsh. They’ll own a coat.

Richard accepted he’d been mistaken, and did so with grace. But he’d not done anything to prepare, not as far as Adam knew. Adam had never been so glad he’d made arrangements for Mrs. Bushnell to accompany them on the first day or two of their journey.

Lessie glared at Adam then put heat behind the expression as she turned to Richard.
“If you two wanted ladies with trunks filled with fancy gowns, you shouldn’t have asked for girls who knew how to work.”

“Our humblest apologies.” Their unspoken glances had put the girls on the defensive.
“We’re simply stunned— we didn’t realize you two were identical twins. You’re both exquisite, if I might say so.”

“I did say we’re twins.”
Lessie apparently always spoke for them.
“You wanted family connection, did you not? Obviously, we’re related. We’re youthful, strong. Healthy.”

“Yes, ma’am.” What would Josie’s voice sound like? A perfect copy of her sister’s?

Lessie glanced at Adam, but turned fully to Richard. “
Are we not what you wanted, Mr. Cannon? Your advertisement said you wanted hard workers, women who knew the value of a dime.”

No, Adam was quite certain that’s not what the advert had said. He’d worked for days over the wording. “Actually, Miss, I never wrote that.”

“Your ad said: hard-working, factory or mill experienced.”

“Yes. A tad different than ‘women who know the value of a dime.’” He worked to moderate his tone. No sense fighting with his bride or soon-to-be sister-in-law.

Lessie split a glance between Adam and Richard, her spine straight, her shoulders back, and disappointment showing in the firm line of her mouth.

Uh-oh.

He felt himself drawn to Josie, and his heart did a little back flip when he caught her looking at him. She held his gaze for the briefest of moments, then lowered her lashes and a delicate blush colored the tips of her ears and cheekbones.

Captivating.

Josie, the sweet one, didn’t need to make an announcement— it was obvious she’d follow wherever her sister led. Lessie was obviously in charge. And Lessie wasn’t pleased with what she saw.

He’d not allowed himself to consider what might happen if the women arrived and rejected
them
. Why would they? The posting in
Groom’s Gazette
had made their position most clear.

Adam knew he and Richard were good candidates for marriage. Young. Healthy. Financially sound. Well-prepared for marriage and fatherhood. They’d built
homes
for their brides.

These young ladies, barely twenty years of age, couldn’t see all of those positive points in so brief a meeting.

Despite the anxiety, he noted Josie’s hesitant, shy smile and couldn’t withhold smiling back at her. In the briefest of introductions, without hearing her voice, Adam already knew which lady he wanted most to spend more time with.

Not that there was anything wrong with Lessie Anne, no, not at all. And by the way she stood up for herself and her sister, she’d make a fine wife.

“Miss Hadley,” R
ichard said, speaking for the first time to the women, “
we’re surprised. That’s all. As my cousin said, surprised and delighted that you’re so lovely.”