Amandas's Mail Order Cowboy: The Story of A Mail Order Bride and Her Mail Order Husband (Mail Order Brides Book 14) (6 page)

chapter Thirteen

Will You Marry Us?

“Why don’t you show us around town,” Rance asked.

“Okay, Can do. That will take about thirty minutes,” Amanda said. “Then what?”

“We’ll think of something, won’t we, Punkin?” he asked Abby.

She nodded her head.

After they rode down through the business district, and past the school where Amanda taught, she directed him past Elmira College.

“What is your favorite place in Elmira?” Rance asked.

“I guess it would be the New Town Battlefield Park,” she said.

“What happened there,” he asked.

“The Continental Army fought the Iroquois and the British. It was a victory for the Army.”

“Can we go there?” he asked.

“Sure,” she said and gave him directions.

At the battlefield, she told them the history of the battle. When she finished, she said, “Lesson over, any questions?”

“I think Abby has a question,” Rance said.

“Do you have a question, Abby?” Amanda asked.

She nodded her head.

“What is your question?”

“Will you marry us?” she asked.

“That is the sweetest thing that has ever happened to me,” Amanda said through her tears.

“Yes, darling. I will marry you both. Does that make you happy?”

The little girl nodded.

Rance put his hand under Amanda’s chin, tilted it upwards and kissed her gently. He removed a small box from his pocket and removed a ring. He took Amanda’s left hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, moving her hand around so the diamonds could reflect the light.

“Now,” he said, Do you want to get married here, or would you rather wait until we get back to Cheyenne?” he asked.

“I would like to be married here, in church,” she said.

“If Elmira is like most places, we will need a marriage license. Let’s do that now,” he said.

They climbed back in the carriage, and went to the courthouse, where Rance gave the clerk three dollars in exchange for a marriage license.

They went to the church, and met with Amanda’s pastor. After questioning them, he agreed to marry them the coming Sunday after the regular services.

“I don’t know about you, but proposing and talking about getting married has made me hungry. Is there a good restaurant or café here?” Rance asked.

In the café, Rance asked, “Are you ready to tell your parents? Also, just so you know, I asked your father for his permission to marry you. He gave it.”

“That was sweet, and thoughtful of you. I’ll bet he appreciated the gesture,” she said.

“It was no gesture. I was sincere about it,” he said. “And he was pleased.”

Back at the Taylor home…

“Let me tell you about this morning, Mama. We went to the Battlefield Park. I told them all of the history of the battle, just as I would in class. I asked if they had questions. Abby had one. She asked, “Will you marry us? Isn’t that the most romantic thing you have ever heard?”

Her mother had tears in her eyes. “You said yes, I hope.”

“I did; so we got the license and talked to the pastor. We’re going to be married Sunday after church.

“Look at my ring. Isn’t it beautiful? Your old maid daughter is getting married!” Amanda said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“It is beautiful,” her mother said.

They told her father when he arrived home from work. He smiled, and pumped Rance’s hand. “Welcome to the family, son.”

“Thank you, Albert. I appreciate it.”

“Abby, would you take a walk with me?” Amanda asked.

She nodded and took Amanda as they strolled down the street. Rance watched, Abby was looking up and nodding her head. When they returned to the house, Abby tugged at Rance’s trousers, and said, “Papa, Miss Amanda is going to be my Mama.”

“Is that right?” Rance asked.

“Yes.” It was Rance’s turn to have tears in his eyes. “Those are more words than I’ve heard her say at one time since…” and his voice trailed off.

He turned to Amanda and kissed her right in front of her parents. She blushed. “She’s going to call me Mama. And she’s going to call you Papa.”

“She has not called me that. In fact, she hasn’t called me by any name. You’re a miracle worker, Amanda.”

“With twenty-three elementary students, I’ve learned how to talk to children,” she said.

“Whatever it was, I’m impressed,” he said.

“Would you let her stay with me tonight?” Amanda asked. “You’re welcome to stay as we’ve already told you. Well, Mama wouldn’t like it if you stayed with me,” she said and giggled… and blushed.

“Why don’t you ask her? It would be okay with me if she wants to do that.”

“I’m full of questions today, and it’s all your fault. You’ve flipped my world upside down. When will we be leaving for Cheyenne? I can hardly wait.”

“Well,” he said, “with the wedding on Sunday, that day is pretty well taken care of, and you will need to pack and will probably need to go to the school. Would Tuesday be too soon? That would put us in Cheyenne on Friday evening, depending on connections, definitely by Saturday.”

“Tuesday is good for me. I can do the school thing on Monday. I’m ashamed to say I had completely forgotten about them in all the excitement.”

“I will make our reservations tomorrow morning, before I come over. Will you need to do any shopping before then?”

“I could probably stand to pick up a few things I use regularly; the store in Cheyenne may not have.”

“If you tell them about something, they’re pretty good about ordering it and you get it in two or three days,” he said.

“Why don’t you come with me?” she asked. I’d like to show you off.”

“So, what am I some kind of trophy?” he asked with a grin on his face.

“You better believe it,” she said.

“Okay,” he said. “You’re the boss.”

She stopped. “Rance, I don’t want to be the boss. I want to be your partner.”

“Well said, honey. Well said.”

“I like that,” she said.

“Liked what?”

“You called me honey. I like it.”

The next day…

They spent an hour in the mercantile, where Amanda purchased some of the products she used on a regular basis. They were about to enter the clothing store, just as Randall Cunningham was leaving.

“Amanda, I haven’t seen you lately. How about me coming over tonight?” he asked.

“No. I thought Papa made it clear. You are not welcome at our house. Please step aside,” Amanda said.

“You’re still upset about that?” he demanded.

“Randall, let me introduce you to Rance Kendall. We’re to be married Sunday. Rance, this is Randall Cunningham. A former boyfriend.”

Rance made no move to shake hands. He merely nodded.

“So you found someone to marry you,” Randall said.

Rance stepped between them. “Sir, you’re making a scene. You’re annoying the lady, and you’re beginning to annoy me. Now, why don’t you just move and let us continue shopping?”

Randall was only five feet eight inches tall and Rance towered over him. He was an imposing figure. Randall appeared to be considering a response; instead, he decided to beat a retreat.

“I’m sorry, Rance. I’m so embarrassed. I’ll tell you all about it when we have more privacy. Today’s the first time I’ve seen him since Papa made him leave, and that was before I started writing to you,”

“You have nothing to apologize for. Now, let’s finish shopping. I don’t know whether Abby has anything suitable for church that I brought. Let’s get something for her, and then we’ll have some lunch.”

chapter Fourteen

Amanda’s Story

Cheung Cafe…

“Who courted you before we met is none of my business, Amanda. You don’t have to do this,” Rance said.

“I do. He courted me for over five years. I thought we would be married. I don’t know how long he cheated on me, but I know he did. I saw him and another girl. He laughed about it and said it didn’t mean anything. Well, it did. It meant something to me.

“When I asked him about getting married, he said he wasn’t ready. After five years, and he still wasn’t ready. When would he have been? She laughed. The bitterness came through, even though she laughed.

“He came over to our house the next Saturday night, as usual. He was always too busy on the other nights. I told him to leave, and asked Papa to make sure he understood he wasn’t welcome anymore. He said it was all a misunderstanding. I did misunderstand. I was faithful and expected him to be too.”

“Forget him,” Rance said. “He can’t hurt you anymore.”

“Why weren’t you here then,” she asked.

“Would that I had been,” he said.

“Did you have a girl?” she asked.

“There weren’t any,” he said. “There were fancy girls in the saloons, but I never had anything to do with them.”

“What are fancy girls?” she asked.

“They work in saloons, trying to get the cowboys and miners to buy them drinks. A cowboy earns about $30 a month and found, and most of the time, their money winds up in the saloons or with the fancy girls.”

“Oh,” she said, finally understanding the commodity being bought and sold.

“What’s found mean?”

“Found is room and board. He gets all of his meals, his horse, and a place to live. He buys his own clothes and guns.”

“Why do they need guns?” she asked.

“Protection. When they’re out on the range, they never know what they will run into, Indians, wolves, snakes, bears, or rustlers. All kinds of danger just waiting for the chance to run your day.”

“Are they out at night?”

“There’s always someone with the herd. There’s no telling when they might get spooked and stampede. Loud noises, like thunder, a gunshot, it doesn’t take much when they’re restless. If they stampede, they will run over anything in their path. I’ve seen them run over a chuck wagon. Once it’s tipped, they run right through it. A stampede is one of the most dangerous things that can happen on a range.”

“How do you stop them, once they start?” she asked.

“You ride in close, and try to turn the leaders,” he said. “If you can turn them, the chances are good they’ll run themselves out. They’re running off pounds and pounds are money. You try to keep them calm by singing to them, really soft and low.”

“If the horse stumbles then…” her voice trailed off.

“The cowboy is probably going to be killed,” he finished her sentence.

“Why do they do such work?” she asked.

“It gets in the blood, and it’s all they’ve ever known, besides, it’s all there is for them. No other work there, except in stores, and not much of that. No self-respecting cowboy would work in a store anyway,” he said.

“Are you a cowboy, Rance?”

“I am,” he said.

“I’m going to be worried about you anytime you’re out of my sight,” she said.

“That will be a different. I haven’t had anyone worry about me since Mama passed,” he said.

“Well, you have someone now. I’m a good worrier. I can worry about anything. Sometimes it works out for the best. It got you here,” she said.

“And I’m glad it did. He took her in his arms and hugged her tightly to him. He kissed her with a slow growing intensity.”

“Mm, that was nice,” she said.

“What will I do at the ranch?” Amanda asked.

“Pretty much whatever you want. We have a cook and housekeeper in Consuela. Be a wife to me and a mother to Abby. Maybe have a baby or three.”

“I would like that, but at my age? It might not be possible,” she said.

“I consider myself a young man and you’re younger than I am.

“Seriously, I would like a son of my own. It would be nice to have a daughter that looks just like you, but we already have a daughter. We will have a comfortable life,” he said.

“How would you feel about me teaching?” she asked.

“Is that a loaded question? Do I sense a possible deal breaker here?”

“No, no, nothing like that. I’m a good teacher. I’m well-schooled in teaching. Abby is an intelligent little girl. I can teach her a lot, and little Rance too,” she said, a twinkle in her eye. “I think I have a lot to offer. I’ve been truly blessed to have you and Abby. I would like to give back.”

“I wouldn’t mind you teaching, as long as you can do it within the bounds of safety, understanding the dangers. Frankly, I think our Indian troubles are just about over, but winter can be harsh and travel back and forth could be dangerous.”

“I understand. Another question just popped into my mind,” she said.

“Good Lord, woman. Is there no end to your questions?” he asked with a laugh.

“Probably not. But anyway, since Abby has no relatives you’re aware of, do you think it would be possible for us to adopt her?”

“Good question. We’ll look into that when we get home,” he said.

“Home. That sounds so good to me. Too good. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“There is no other shoe. And if one turns up, we’ll handle it. Together.”

“Yes, we will,” she said. Positive in her belief.

Later…

“Abby, would you like to stay here with me tonight, or go back to the hotel with Rance?”

Abby pointed. “You,” she said.

“I’ve been rejected for a school teacher,” Rance moaned. “”I’ll bring her things over tonight,” he said. “What time do you want to leave for church?” he asked.

“Services start at eleven, so ten-thirty will give us plenty of time. I’ll be ready, and have Abby dressed too. I need to decide what I want to wear to be married in. I should have bought something special.”

“You’ll be beautiful no matter what you wear,” he said.

“Thank you for that,” she said.

“What?” he asked.

“The compliment. Telling me I’m beautiful. I don’t think anyone other than Mama has ever said that.”

“He laid his large hand against her cheek, and said, “Amanda, you are a beautiful woman and I’m proud you’re going to be my wife.” Then he kissed her.