Mail Order Motherhood (Brides of Beckham Book 8) (12 page)

“And no one will here.  If you want to go to town, you need to be ready right after breakfast in the morning.  I have some friends I’ll introduce you to if you’d like.”  He didn’t add that he was hoping they could make each other miserable.

She nodded regally.  “Maybe one of them can use a wife or a lady’s companion.”

He laughed.  “No one here needs a lady’s companion.  Men want wives though, and there just aren’t enough women.”  He shrugged.  “I’m sure even you can find a husband.  Just make sure they don’t see your personality until after they’ve said ‘I do.’”

“I can’t believe you just said that to me!”

“I can’t believe no one’s said it before.”  Albert stood up and walked to the door, shrugging into his coat.  “I’m going to go make sure the horses will be warm enough through the night.”

Mary watched him go with venom in her eyes.  She looked at Clara.  “I notice he didn’t invite you to go with us.”

Clara shrugged.  “He’ll probably take Clarence as well.”

The girls worked on the dishes while Clara got her sewing.  She wasn’t going to listen to anything else the venomous woman had to say to her.

Chapter Seven

The following morning was tense.  Clara had one of the girls wake Mary well before breakfast to be sure she was ready to go on time.  Clara didn’t want to spend another minute with the other woman under her roof. 

As soon as breakfast was over, Albert sent Mary up the stairs to get her things.  “We need to leave in fifteen minutes.  Be ready.”

Clara watched her go, happy that she was finally going to be out of her house.  It seemed as if she’d been there for years, even though it had only been a few days.  Clara couldn’t help but wonder how much like her sister Sally had been.  She’d probably ask him once Mary was gone, but she hadn’t been willing to broach the subject with her there.

Clarence helped hitch up the team and ran back into the house to be sure Clara knew he was going with Albert.  Clara fixed a lunch for them and smiled as she waved them off.  The back of another woman’s head had never looked quite so good to Clara. 

*****

Albert made sure Clarence sat in the front seat of the sleigh between him and Mary.  “He should sit in the back.  He’s making it crowded up here, and he just a child,” Mary protested.

Albert shrugged.  “I don’t want him to get cold in the back.  He’s sharing our body heat this way.”

“What do you care?  He’s not even your son.  He’s just the son of that terrible woman you married.”  She shook her head.  “I can’t believe you married her anyway.  I’m sure you’d have waited for me if you’d known I was coming, but couldn’t you have found someone better?  It’s almost insulting!”

Albert looked at her with surprise.  “You think I would have waited for you instead of marrying Clara?  What have I done to make you think that?”

Mary laughed.  “Don’t deny it, Albert!  You loved me.”

“That’s true.  Loved.  Past tense.  I stopped loving you the day you told me you couldn’t wait for me.  It didn’t take me long to realize that Sally was the one I’d loved all along.  Sally was everything you weren’t.  She was a hard worker, sweet and loving.  You…you’re poison to everyone you see or touch.  I’m so glad to get you out of my house.”  Albert drove staring at the road ahead of him, wondering what Clarence thought of the conversation he was having with Mary.  “My new wife is a better wife than you could ever dream of being.  She puts the children and me before herself in everything.  I’ve never met such an unselfish woman in my life.”

Mary looked at him and gasped as if offended.  “Are you calling me selfish, Albert Hanson?”

“Well, I didn’t say it in so many words, but you are one of the most selfish people I’ve ever met.  You think of no one but yourself.  You came here without giving me notice to try and take over my life.  I didn’t want you here, Mary.  Even if Clara hadn’t been here, I’d have wanted to toss you out on your ear.”

Mary sputtered for a moment, staring at him over Clarence’s head.  “Clara doesn’t hold a candle to me or my sister.”

Albert laughed aloud.  “Have you ever heard the expression, ‘Pretty is as pretty does?’  Clara was attractive to me when she arrived, because she has a pretty face.  Now?  She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, because she has a good attitude about everything she does.  She told me not to buy her anything for Christmas, but she stays up late every night making special gifts for the children.  I don’t know what she’s done for me, but I’m sure she’s done something that will be wonderful, because it’s who she is.”  He shook his head.  “I almost feel sorry for you.  You expect every man in the world to fall at your feet because you have a pretty face.  It’s not going to happen, because you don’t have the personality and work ethic to back up that pretty face.”

“How dare you!”

“It all needed to be said.  Do you have money for a train ticket to Texas?” Albert asked.

“Of course, I don’t.  If I had money, I wouldn’t have shown up on your doorstep, now would I?”

“I’ll buy your ticket.”

“To where?” Mary asked shrilly.  “I have nowhere to go!  No one wants me.  Mama and Papa are dead!”

Albert shrugged.  “Where am I taking you then?  If not to the train station?”

“I don’t know.  I just had to get away from that…woman you married.”

He sighed.  “Maybe there will be someone in town who will hire you to do…something.”

“Are you now implying that I’m not good for anything?” 

He shrugged.  “I’ll let you make that decision.”  He stopped because they’d reached the mercantile.  “Maybe someone will be advertising for something you can do.”

He jumped down and waited for Clarence, but left her to get down on her own.  He didn’t like how she’d talked about his wife.  The woman was a real pain in his behind, and he wasn’t going to mess with her any longer.  He walked into the mercantile and called to Samuel.  “Anyone looking for a woman to do some work for them?”

Samuel shook his head slowly.  “No one that I know of.  I know a few of the men around town are thinking about sending off for mail order brides, though.  You got someone you’re trying to get rid of?”

Albert grinned.  “My first wife’s sister needs somewhere to go.  She’s unhappy at my house, and she has nowhere else.  Any suggestions?”

Samuel took a piece of paper and calmly made a list which he then handed to Albert.  “There’s a list of men that I know are looking for brides.  Go talk to them.  Maybe one of them will take her off your hands.”

Albert let out a low laugh.  “That’s what I’m looking for.”  He glanced down at the list.  “No one closer to town?  I want to dump her and go back home.”  He sighed.  “It’s going to be a long day.” 

Clarence looked at him.  “Pa, why does Aunt Mary hate Mama so much?”

Albert shook his head.  “There are just some people in this world who have no love inside them.  I think Mary is one of those.”   He strode toward the wagon with Clarence trailing behind him.  Mary was still sitting on the seat of the sleigh.

“I see you finally remembered me.”

Albert shrugged.  “We’re ready to go on.  There are no jobs for women in town, but there are several men around looking for a wife.  We’ll go visit them and see which one will take you.”

“Take me?  You make me sound like a terrible burden you can’t wait to be rid of.  Albert, how can you treat me this way?” 

He ignored her question as he tipped his hat at a friend as they drove south out of town.  There had to be someone who wanted sex so badly, he’d marry a shrew like Mary, didn’t there?

It was an hour before they arrived at the first man’s house.  Albert jumped down, telling Clarence to stay put.  He wandered around for a moment hoping he could find the man, and he wouldn’t be out on the range.  Finally he spotted his friend, Eli King, coming out of the barn.  He raised his hand in greeting.

Eli walked toward him eyeing the sleigh.  He held his hand out for the other man to shake.  “Good to see you, Albert.  You doing all right?” 

“I have a slight dilemma.  I sent off for a mail order bride a few months back, and she’s here and the best wife I could have asked for.  A few days ago, my late wife’s sister showed up, widowed, thinking she could keep house for me.  She spent her last dime on train travel.”  Albert shrugged.  “I don’t really know what to do with my former sister-in-law, but she’d like to marry again.  You in the market for a wife or a housekeeper?”

Eli looked at the sleigh and saw the pretty woman sitting in the front.  “What’s wrong with her?”

Albert laughed loudly.  “What makes you think there’s something wrong with her?”

“I know you, and I know you’d keep her if there was any way it was possible.  Why can’t she stay at your house?”

Albert sighed.  “Because she’s mean and lazy and is doing her best to make my wife’s life difficult.”

Eli shook his head.  “Thanks but no thanks.  I’m sure someone will take her, but I don’t need no crazy woman in my life.”

“She’s not crazy!”

“Sounds crazy to me.  Thanks for thinking of me.  If you get a good woman in, look me up.”

Albert grinned.  “I’m kind of glad you said ‘no,’ but I felt the need to ask you first.  Some men are willing to put up with anything for regular sex.”

“I’m not one of them.  Bring me back a good one.”

“I don’t get women in every day.”  Albert walked back toward the sleigh with Eli beside him.  He introduced his friend to Clarence and Mary.  “This is my former sister-in-law, Mary, and my new son, Clarence.  Clarence is more help around the ranch than I ever imagined an eight year old would be.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am, Clarence.”  Eli tipped his hat politely.  He turned to Albert, and they clasped gloved hands together.  “I’d love to meet your new wife.  Invite me over for a good home-cooked meal sometime, will ya?”

Clarence smiled.  “My mama’s the best cook around.”

Albert nodded.  “She is.  Why don’t you come over for Christmas dinner?  We’ll eat around two so you can get home before dark.  I’d love to introduce you.”

Eli grinned.  “I can’t wait to meet the woman that put the sparkle back in your eye.”

Albert climbed back into the sleigh, and the three of them drove off.  He looked at his list and headed to the man who was closest.  Hopefully he’d be more interested in Mary than Eli had been.

“Where exactly are we going, Albert?” Mary asked finally.

Albert looked at her.  “I’m trying to find you a place to stay.  Either a man who needs a wife or a housekeeper.”

She looked over her shoulder.  “Why not him?”

Albert shrugged.  “He didn’t want you.”

Mary stared at him in shock.  “What do you mean he didn’t want me?”

“He said he doesn’t have the patience to put up with a woman like you.”  Albert shrugged.

“He didn’t see me before he said that, though.”

Albert laughed.  “He saw you just fine.  He just doesn’t want a woman who won’t work and put him first.  There’s a man that will.  We just have to find him.”

It was almost suppertime when they finally found a man who would take her.  Albert had begun to worry he’d never find anyone.  He’d been through over half of his list at that point.  He pulled up in front of Frank Rivers house and jumped down, thankful he wouldn’t need to hunt this man down, because he should be home for supper.

Frank wasn’t a particular friend of his, so he didn’t mind if he decided to take Mary on, but he wouldn’t lie to him either.  He went to the door and knocked while the other two sat in the cold sleigh.  If Frank didn’t want her, he’d have to drive home and try again in a couple of days.  He needed to get some work done before he could lose another full day.

Frank came to the door and looked at him oddly.  “Hello, Albert.  How can I help you?”

Albert smiled.  This was one of the men who had been in the mercantile and had made rude comments about him taking a new wife.  “My first wife’s twin sister came to town.  Her husband died, and she thought she could keep house for me.  I didn’t need a housekeeper, because I have a wife, so I’m looking to see if someone around here could use a wife or housekeeper.”

Frank’s eyes widened.  “Your first wife was a beauty.  I’ll look at her for sure.”  He looked at Albert suspiciously.  “You don’t want to keep her for a bit?  Have her help your wife with chores?”

Albert shook his head.  “My house is too full as it is.  I know you’re looking for a wife, so I thought you might be interested.”

“Can she cook?”

Albert shrugged.  “She hasn’t cooked for me in a good fifteen years.  Why don’t you ask her to come in and cook something for you?  See how it goes?”  He hoped he and Clarence could get a meal out of it as well.  It was suppertime, and they’d had to share their lunch meant for two among three people.

“That’s a good idea.  Get her in here.”  Frank watched as Albert went to the sleigh and invited Clarence and Mary to come in.  Frank’s eyes widened as he saw the woman in question.  When she was close, he smiled his biggest smile, showing off the wide gap between his front teeth.  “Can you cook?”

Mary nodded emphatically.  “I’m a wonderful cook.”

Albert said nothing as the man invited the three of them inside.  He took the seat that was indicated and sat beside Clarence at the table while Frank crossed his arms over his chest.  “Cook then.  Cook for all four of us, and if I like what I taste, then I’ll consider marrying you.”

Mary gasped with surprise.  “You’re making me audition to marry you?”

Frank shrugged.  “Looks like you don’t have much of a choice, now do you?  Cook, and I’ll see if I want you around.”

Mary spun away from him, tears pricking her eyes.  She rummaged for some food and came up with almost nothing.  “How do you expect me to cook when you don’t have any food?”

Frank waved to the trap door in the floor.  “There’s food down there.  Fetch it and cook.”  He took a seat beside Albert and waited for the woman to do as he’d told her.

Mary huffed as she grabbed a lantern, opened the trap door, and went down into the cellar.  She came back up the stairs with her arms full of potatoes, bacon, and a basket of eggs.  Not one of the men moved to help her, and she glared at them.

She hurried to the stove, using a bit of lard to melt in the frying pan, while she peeled the potatoes and cut them up.