The New Year's Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides Book Two) (6 page)

Oh God …
Elle felt her knees grow weak.  He was so close she could smell the masculine scent of him. Not soap, not leather, not the wind and chill of the air outside.  But
him
.  She licked her lips in response.  He smiled as his eyes darkened.  He leaned toward her even further.

“Spencer!”

Spencer and Elle jumped apart at his mother’s voice.

“Get out of this store and come back in an hour!”

Spencer’s jaw tightened but his smile remained.  He tipped his hat once more to Elle before he turned and left the mercantile.

“Ah young love!  The sight warms this old heart like nothing else!” Mrs. Quinn said dreamily. “I can’t wait until my Matthew comes home and …”

“Land sakes! Let’s stop wasting time and get to work!  Spencer will be back in an hour!”  Mrs. Riley said, cutting her off.  Elle caught the warning glare in her eyes directed at Mrs. Quinn and pondered what it was about when the door once again opened.

“Oh, it figures…” Mrs. Riley said under her breath as Mrs. Quinn came around to the front of the counter, several boxes in hand.

Abbey and Charlotte Davis came in and brushed snow from their coats near the door.  Abbey looked up and took in the women. “Summer! I’m so glad to see you!  Hello Mrs. Riley, Mrs. Quinn!”

“Good morning girls,” Mrs. Quinn said happily.  “Here to see the new fabrics I have in?”

“Yes, we are!”  Abbey said as she happily walked over to a table laden with bolts of cloth.

“I have more in the back.  I haven’t had time to bring it all out.  I’ve been trying to get Matthew’s room
ready.  He comes home soon you know.”

“He does?”  Abbey asked. “Isn’t school finished in the spring?”

“He’s home early on account he’s done finished all his studies!” Mrs. Quinn said with pride.  “He’s the smartest boy in his class!”

“Life’s going to seem incredibly dull here for him com
pared to Boston,” Charlotte added dryly.  “Why on Earth would he want to leave an exciting city and come back to Nowhere?”

“Because he has kin her
e, girl.  Why else?” Mrs. Quinn said as she opened up a box.

Mrs. Riley stood and glared at Mrs. Quinn but said nothing
and instead turned to Charlotte.  “How’s your mother, dear?”

“She’s home sick with a cold.  She sent us to get her a few things.”

“Oh isn’t that nice,” Mrs. Riley said relieved. “Oh, I mean, not that she has a cold, but that you’ve come to get something for it.”

Summer and Abbey both giggled at her slip.  Charlotte didn’t, but neither did she appear upset by it.  She instead began to examine the bolts of cloth in front of her.

Summer cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention.  “Ladies, may I present Miss Barstow, Spencer’s intended. Elle, this is Abbey Davis and her sister Charlotte.  ”

Elle took in the two girls.  Summer had told her Abbey was a real peach but that Charlotte could be trouble like her mother.  She’d shared some of her own experiences with the Davis family and though her exploits with them were laughable now, they certainly weren’t at the time.

Elle smiled and nodded to Abbey who grabbed one of her hands and shook it enthusiastically.  Charlotte on the other hand didn’t so much as look at her.

“Charlotte, say hello to Miss Barstow.” Abbey told her as she also caught the aloof attitude of her sister.

Charlotte glanced to Elle, sighed, gave her a simple nod in greeting, then stiffly returned her attention to the fabric.

Abby rolled her eyes. “Never mind her.  She’s been like this the last couple of days.
” Abbey leaned toward Summer and whispered. “It’s been wonderful really!  She hasn’t been this quiet since Clayton dumped water on her the first time she faked a swoon in front of him!”

Summer stifled a giggle then looked to Elle. “Definitely the blue, like Spencer said.”

Elle stared at the beautiful blue ribbons Mrs. Quinn held out before her. “They’re lovely.”

“They’re yours!”  Mrs. Quinn happily said and returned them to their box.  She set the box aside then quickly followed Mrs. Riley to examine the bolts of cloth Charlotte was looking over.

“Are they going to pick out everything?” Elle asked astonished.

“No, you’ll choose what you want. I think they just like the process more than anything else.  They certainly did with me!”

Elle smiled but thoughts of the telegraph office kept entering her mind.  She needed to get her message sent!

“What’s the matter?” Summer asked.

“Nothing,” Elle said quickly.

“You don’t look like you’re having a very good time.”

“Oh but I am!”

Summer took her by the elbow and steered her over to a display of shoes while Abbey joined the others. “Elle, are you
sure
you want to marry Spencer?”

Elle swallowed hard.  This could be her one chance to gain more time.  Even if she got her message out today, how long would it take for Mrs. Ridgley to get back to her? “I … I ... I’m not sure.”

Summer faced her.  “Being a mail order bride isn’t like getting married the normal way.  There’s not much courtship, no months of getting to know one another.  It’s two people who agree to make a life together so they can survive.  Like the good Book says, things are better with two.  When one falls down the other can lift them up.  Two can stay warm better than one …”

“I know that, but I’m … overwhelmed.”  Considering she didn’t know if
she’d be arrested by her future husband, it was an understatement.

“Yes, but you can’t put him off either.  You signed an agreement.  Clayton and I had a few weeks to get to know each other because of my injury.  Whether you wait another week, a month it doesn’t matter.  Elle, you signed a contract.  Personally I don’t know why you have cold feet. I can see you’re attracted to Spencer.”

Elle looked over her shoulder at the others who were all admiring a bolt of cloth Spencer’s mother was holding up.  “I know I signed a contract.  I just need a little more time.  I … I really need to … to let Mrs. Ridgley know I got out here all right.”

“You aren’t going to wire her to tell her you want to go back are you?”

“Of course not!”

Summer’s shoulders slumped as she relaxed. “I’m glad to hear it.  I know you’ve been worried about getting to the telegraph office.”  She took Elle’s hands in her own. “Please promise me you’ll give Spencer a chance.  He’s a good man and the Riley’s are a wonderful family.  Don’t be hasty and make a wrong decision.”

Elle felt a chill go up her spine.  If only she could tell her friend what happened but she didn’t dare.  What would she do?  They’d been taught at the orphanage to always do right by others and to protect those they loved.  But in this case, whom would Summer protect?  Elle didn’t want to put her friend in that sort of position so it was better she remained quiet.

“I promise
I’ll give him a chance,” Elle said, her heart in her throat.  She hoped and prayed that Spencer Riley would do the same for her if it came down to having to tell him what she’d done.

Six

Spencer walked slowly.  Should he ignore his mother’s reques
t and go back to the mercantile?  But she said they’d be done in an hour.  He could wait an hour, couldn’t he?

Oh for Heaven’s sake!  He was acting ridiculous!  He was a grown man not some idiotic schoolboy with his first crush!  But that’s wh
at he began to feel like when in Miss Barstow’s company, and it was only getting worse.  She was beautiful, she had spirit, she was a little odd at times, spontaneous, but he liked her that way.  He didn’t know what to expect from her and it kept him on his toes. Given a little more time he could easily fall in love with her.  She wasn’t anything like he expected a mail order bride to be.  He was expecting someone calmer, more reserved.  After finding she’d come from the same orphanage as Summer he also expected her to be … well … more in need of a hero?  A man?  But Elnora Barstow would probably get along just as well without one to a certain extent.  No woman in his experience could be long without a man’s protection so that made him feel good!  And of course she’d need his provision.  For now.

Gads!  With her gumption she could reject him, find herself a job, learn to use a gun, and be fine on her own!  The thought sent a sliver of worry coursing through Spencer’s veins
.  What if she didn’t fancy him?  She acted as much so far.  She was polite, she was cordial, she even laughed at his jokes, but he sensed she was holding back considerably.  There was a stiffness about her, as if she knew she wasn’t staying.  One moment it was there, in the set of her jaw, the determined look in her eye, as if she was battling with herself over him.  Then it would be gone and she would be more relaxed and light hearted.  Spencer decided not to think on it further, let go a long sigh and entered the Sheriff’s office.

“Howdy, boss!” Billy said.  “Beautiful day, ain’t it?”

Spencer looked at Billy his other deputy.  He was seated behind the desk with his feet propped up on it.  “You’re certainly happy this morning.”

Billy removed his feet from the desk and sat up straight. “Got good reason to be, I’m courtin’ Miss Abbey Davis. It’s official!  Asked her pa and everything!”

Spencer smiled.  Billy had been sweet on Abbey since before Thanksgiving.  “Well now, that’s wonderful news!  How’s Mrs. Davis taking it?”  Everyone knew Nellie Davis wanted her daughters married off to the wealthier families in the area.  Her plan to marry Charlotte off to Clayton was thwarted by Summer’s arrival, and ever since Clayton and Summer’s wedding at Christmas, Mrs. Davis had plunged herself into a new campaign.  Namely, marry Abbey off to Spencer, but that was stopped before it even got started.  Abbey only had eyes for Billy.   She became sweet on him sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

“Not to
o well.  She’s been kinda standoffish the last few times I went over there to see Abbey.  But Mr. Davis invited me to Sunday supper this week!”

“That ought to
drive Mrs. Davis plumb loco!” Spencer laughed.

“She kept asking about you the other day when I done went to see Abbey.”

Spencer cringed.  That could only mean one thing.  She must still have her eye on him for Charlotte.  Considering Charlotte’s behavior the day Miss Barstow came to town, she was probably counting on her mother to see it done.  If she couldn’t have Clayton, she’d settle for him just as sure as the sun sets.  After all, it wasn’t the Riley men so much as the Riley land Mrs. Davis wanted to welcome into her family.  They had one of the larger farms in the area, large enough to have to lease part of it out to be worked by Mr. Johnson, the neighbor.  But old man Johnson was slowing down so would stop working the extra orchards come spring.  It was one of the other reasons Clayton went back to farming and Spencer was now Sheriff.  They decided if it got too much for Clayton and a couple of hands to handle, then Spencer would also leave the Sheriff’s office and return to the life of an apple farmer.

“What did she ask?  Spencer finally said as he hung up his hat and coat.

“Well, she didn’t ask so much about you as she did about your wedding.”

“She knows we haven’t had a wedding yet, doesn’t she?”

“Oh trust me, she knows!  She was making all kinds of comments to Charlotte while me and Abbey was sittin’ in the parlor!  They were in the dining room but we could hear them all the same.”

Spencer rolled his eyes.  “I can only imagine what they were saying, but tell me anyway.”

“Well, what it amounted to was if’n you wasn’t hitched yet, that it must mean you don’t care for your mail order bride.  That there wasn’t any good reason why you didn’t get married New Year’s day when she got off the stage.”

Spencer turned to him.  “My mother wanted it that way, but I wanted to give Miss Barstow and I a couple of weeks to get acquainted first.  I saw how it helped Clayton and
Summer, not to mention how important it is to be able to trust the other person and how to start to grow that trust.  Remember that while you’re courting Abbey.”

Billy nodded.  “Yeah, that’s important to womenfolk, the
whole trust thing.”

“Men too.  Trust is what binds two people together.  You
gotta have it.  I want to start building some of that with Miss Barstow before we marry.”

“What about them folks that marry the same day the bride
gets off the stage?”

“That might work for some people, but I’d rather have a couple of weeks to court, even if we are contracted to marry.”

Billy sagely nodded in agreement.

“How’s our new deputy?”  Spencer asked to change the subject.  He was having a hard enough time trying to woo his future bride and didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“He’s fittin’ right in.  He went along with Doc Brown to the Miller’s place.  I didn’t think you’d mind so I let him go.  Doc can’t get enough of the stories that Tom has to tell about the doc down in Clear Creek.  The way he tells it, this Doc Drake is some kind of miracle worker.”

Spencer smiled and sat on the desk. “Mr. Turner does love his home town.  I wonder how long he’ll stay in
Nowhere?  I should wire Uncle Harlan and ask how long we can keep him.”

“Better question would be to ask Tom Turner if’n he wants to stay on permanent.”

“You’re right.  In fact, I’ll do both.”  In fact, he should put his hat and coat back on and go wire Uncle Harlan right now, then he could just
happen
to go by the mercantile again.  Didn’t Miss Barstow want to wire that mail order bride agency she came from?

Unfortunately, Spencer never got the chance.

* * *

Abbey came through the door to the Sheriff’s office, saw Billy, and went straight for him.  “Hello Billy,” she said shyly.

Billy stood, his chest out, and sauntered out from behind the desk.  He brushed his reddish hair out of his eyes and smiled. “Howdy Miss Abbey.  What brings you here?”

“Daddy wanted me to tell you to bring a healthy appetite come Sunday.  I’m making a pot roast and apple pie.”

Charlotte stood behind her, her face sour, and rolled her eyes.

“Why, pot roast is
my favorite!  I can’t wait.”

Abbey gazed at him with a look that clearly said
,
I’m yours forever!
Spencer began to wonder if he’d ever see that same look on Miss Barstow’s face when he felt Charlotte tap him on the shoulder.  He turned and looked down at her.  She had a forlorn look he’d never seen before and his face changed to one of concern.  “You okay, Charlotte?”

“Oh, I’m fine.  I’m just busy preparing myself for the inevitable.”

“Inevitable?  Inevitable what?”

Her mouth pressed into a firm line. “Spinsterhood.”

Spencer visibly relaxed.  Was that all?  Spinsterhood and Charlotte Davis would go together about as well as a fat hen and a coyote.  Only in this case, the coyote better watch out!  She’d land herself a man no matter what and everyone in town knew it.

“I don’t think you have to worry none about that,” Spencer told her in a consoling tone.  A pill Charlotte may be, but he could see a flicker of wo
rry in her eyes that her life as a spinster may have some truth to it.

“Oh, I can see it coming.  Everyone in this town will wind up with someone, everyone but me that is.  Too bad they don’t have mail order grooms.  I might as well order me one.”

“There’s no such thing as far as I know,” said Spencer. “But someone will come along, Charlotte. You’ll see.”

“Will I?  Your brother is taken, and you’ll
end up married to that
girl
.  Where does that leave me?” she asked and gave him her best pout.

Spencer
fought the urge to laugh.  She was definitely pulling the sympathy card, and in a way, he did feel sorry for her.  She had a reputation for being a haughty, sometimes nasty, better than thou gossip.  How did one repair that sort of a reputation in order to find a husband in a town like Nowhere?  She didn’t always used to be so bad, but had gotten worse over the last few years.  Mrs. Davis had a lot to do with it, but unless Charlotte left the Davis household, how was she ever going to change?  The more Spencer thought on it, the more truth there was to her fear of becoming a spinster.

“Oh Charlotte!” Abbey scolded. “Stop being so dramatic! You’ll find someone … eventually.”

“Easy for you to be calm about things, you have a beau.” Charlotte shot back then turned her attention to Spencer. “You’ll think of me won’t you, if that girl leaves and goes back to wherever it was she came from?”

“Think of you?” Spencer began. “And what do you mean if Miss Barstow goes back?”

She turned away from him and took a few steps toward the cell area located down the back hall.  “Well, I’m not one to gossip…”

“You’re the
only
one in town to gossip, besides mother of course!” Abbey was quick to interject.

Charlotte shot her a warning look.  “As I was saying, I’m not one to gossip, but your future bride
did
seem distracted in the mercantile while we were there.”

Spencer immediately turned to Abbey, “Is this true?”

Abbey shrugged. “For once I have to agree with Charlotte.  She did seem distracted and not at all into picking out things for a wedding.”

Spencer’s heart sank.  So, she wasn’t all that in
terested in him.  He knew it!  The question now was, what to do about it?

“We’d best be going, A
bbey.  Mother will want her tea and we still have to stop by Mrs. Jorgensen’s,” Charlotte said as she turned and gave Spencer a pretty smile. “It was nice stopping in for a visit.”

Spencer gave her a half-hearted smile.  It was all he could muster after what Abbey just told him.  “You ladies have a nice day.”

“Five o’clock, Billy!  Don’t forget!”  Abbey called over her shoulder as Charlotte pulled her toward the door.

“I’ll be there.  Nothi
n’ I like better than a good pot roast!  Except maybe the pretty gal cookin’ it.”

Abbey blushed a deep red and smiled as Charlotte hauled her out the door and slammed it shut. Spencer and Billy both cringed at the noise then looked at one another.

“I sure feel sorry for the fella that winds up married to her,” Billy said.

Spencer began to chuckle.  “What about the fella that marries into her family?  You won’t only have Nellie Davis as a mother-in-law, you’ll have Charlotte for a sister-in-law!”

“Don’t think I haven’t thought about it!  Which is why you’d best get on down to the telegraph office and wire your Uncle Harlan. Cause if me and Abbey get married, we ain’t staying in Nowhere!”

“What?”

“You heard me.  I already done talked to Clayton about it when Tom Turner got to town.  I didn’t want to leave you short handed, but if he stays on and you’re able to hire on another deputy, than I can go find myself a job somewhere else.  I ain’t stayin’ in Nowhere and puttin’ up with Nellie and Charlotte Davis!  Except maybe on Christmas.”

Spencer moaned, grabbed his coat and hat, and left for the telegraph office.  He might as well stop by the mercantile and take Miss Barstow with
him as he knew she wanted to wire New Orleans.  Maybe that’s what had her so distracted.  She might be the sort that had to have everything done that needed doing before she could relax and enjoy herself.  Well if that was the case then she should be more open to his wooing and courting before they got married.  He didn’t fancy going into a marriage with a woman who didn’t think highly of him, or with whom he didn’t share a mutual attraction.  He hoped that wasn’t part of her problem.  What a slap to his ego it would be to find she didn’t think him the least bit attractive!  The thought pained him and he picked up his pace.

When he reached the mercantil
e he found Miss Barstow draped in several bolts of white and ivory cloth.  He could see very little of her dress underneath and suddenly the image of a Greek goddess flash through his mind.  She was beautiful and it pained him to think this lovely creature possibly had no interest in him.