Mail Order Mama (Brides of Beckham Book 2) (3 page)

“I’ll miss you, too.”  Emily tried not to let her mother see how upset she was by the idea of going off to Minnesota.  “I need to figure out what to wear for my wedding,” she said changing the subject abruptly.  “I don’t think I have anything suitable at all.”  She knew her mother would help her solve her little problem and they could quit talking about her move.  She didn’t want to cry in front of her mother at the prospect of going away, and focusing on the task at hand would be the perfect way to distract them both.

“Why don’t you wear the dress I wore to marry your father?”

“You still have it?” Emily asked in surprise.  They’d been sewing frantically trying to get a dress ready for her mother to wear when she married William.  “Why aren’t you wearing it for your own wedding?”

Jane smiled.  “It’s much too small for me now, but it should fit you perfectly.  Besides, I couldn’t marry another man in the dress I wore to marry your father.  It wouldn’t be right.”  She stood up, excitement dancing in her eyes.  She was still slender, but when she’d married she’d been reed thin like her daughter.  “Let’s go see if it fits!”  She hurried through their small house and up the stairs to her bedroom.  She knelt in front of the chest at the foot of her bed and opened it.  Emily had always thought of the chest as her mother’s treasure box. 

Emily stood watching as her mother dug through the box.  She took several things out and stroked them.  “This was your first church dress.  You only wore it a few times, but you were so pretty in it.”  She dug some more.  “This is the quilt I made you when I was carrying you.”  She laid it on top of the small dress.  “Ahh, here it is.”  Jane pulled out a long white dress covered in lace.  She held it up in front of her.  “What do you think?”

Emily reached out and touched the lace on the dress.  It was old-fashioned, but beautiful and so many women wore their mother’s dresses to marry, it being old fashioned wouldn’t matter a bit.  “I love it.  Do you think it’ll fit?”

“I think so.  We’ll probably have to take it in a bit in the waist, and we’ll definitely have to shorten it, but I think it’ll work out very well for you.  Let me help you try it on, and we can make the adjustments before you go.”

Emily hugged her mother tightly.  “Thank you for letting me wear your beautiful dress.”  The dress made her excited for the wedding for the first time.  She had never worn anything so beautiful. 

Jane smiled.  “I’m happy that you want to.  I only wish I could be there to see you married in it.”

Emily nodded sadly.  “I know.  I won’t be there for your wedding either.”  She wished she could see her mother’s happiness on her wedding day, but knew it was impossible.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do without you.”

“You’re going to be happy with your new husband.  That’s what you’re going to do!”

*****

Emily was thrilled to be able to give her notice at work the following morning.  She didn’t feel at all badly for what Mrs. Walters referred to as her abandonment.  “You’ve been with us for three years!  How can you just leave this way?”

“I can’t come to work here when I’m living in Minnesota.  I’m sure you’ll find someone else to cook for you.”  And clean and watch your children for you.  “My last day will be Tuesday.”

“But it’s Friday!  I can’t possibly find someone else so soon.”

Emily found the idea didn’t bother her a bit.  She didn’t mind leaving Mrs. Walters in a bind after the way she’d treated her.  “You may have to do for yourself for a few days, but it won’t be the end of the world.”

Mrs. Walters frowned.  “Are you getting snide with me?”

“No, Ma’am.  I would never do that.” 
I’d love to, but I need the last few days of work
, she thought.

After Mrs. Walters left her alone in the kitchen to work, Emily had to refrain from shouting for joy.  She was nervous about the wedding, but she was thrilled to leave her job behind.

*****

Every evening Emily and her mother worked together on their wedding dresses.  Emily was glad she’d have this last memory of her mother to take with her.  They talked and laughed about different things they’d done together over the years.  Emily talked to her mother about the first letter she’d received from the Johnson family where the girls had requested someone who knew how to cook more than bacon and wouldn’t ever fix bacon sandwiches for dinner.

Jane laughed aloud.  “That man is lost without a wife beside him.  The poor girls.  I bet they’re ready to have you there.”

“It certainly does sound like it.  I can’t wait to meet them.  He’s going to be meeting me in St. Paul at the train station, but he won’t be bringing the girls.”  She wished he would, because it would be easier for her, but there was no time to write him to request that, and she doubted she would make the request even if there had been time.

“At least you won’t have to worry about them being upset that he’s remarrying.  It sounds like they practically begged him to place the ad.”

“That’s the impression I got from the letters.”  Emily held her dress in front of her.  “I think I’m finished.”  She looked down at it to be certain she hadn’t made any mistakes.  A mistake on a regular dress was bad enough.  A mistake on her wedding dress would be terrible, because it would be the first impression most people would have of her.  She hoped he hadn’t invited more than a handful of people to the wedding.

“Go try it on!  I want to see how it looks.”  It was late Tuesday evening.  They both should have been in bed hours before, but the dress needed to be finished.  Emily knew she could always sleep on the train. 

She had grown more and more nervous by the day.  Her first train ride and a wedding all in one week.  It was enough to give a woman heart palpitations. 

She ran up the narrow stairs to her bedroom to change.  Once she was in her room, she looked around her.  All of her personal belongings were gone.  The only things left were the sturdy bed she’d slept on since she was a small girl, a small dresser and an armoire against one wall.  All of her clothes were neatly pressed and in a carpet bag.  It saddened her to realize everything she owned fit into such a small bag. 

She stripped out of her dress and pulled the wedding dress over her head.  It was tight in the waist, but fell comfortably around her hips and stopped just above her shoes.  She walked down the stairs where her mother waited.

When Emily walked into the parlor where she’d been sewing with Jane, her mother covered her mouth with one hand, tears springing to her eyes.  “Oh, Emily.  You look so beautiful.”

Emily smiled.  She knew she wasn’t really beautiful, and it was just a mother’s love that made it seem so, but still it felt good to hear the words.  She turned in a slow circle.  “Is the hem straight?”

“It’s perfect.  It’s absolutely perfect.  If your father could see you now, he would be so proud of the young lady you’ve become.”  Jane set her dress to the side and walked to her daughter, pulling her into a tight embrace.  “I’m going to miss you so much.”

Emily hugged her back.  “I’ll miss you too, Mama.”  She pulled back.  “Just think, in a week, I’m going to be married with two daughters of my own.”  The idea was still baffling to her, but she acted as if it were an everyday occurrence to travel across the country to marry a complete stranger.

Jane swiped at a tear running down her cheek.  “It’s so hard to believe my daughter is old enough to marry.  Promise me you’ll write often.”

Emily sniffed back a tear of her own.  “Of course, I will.  I promise.”

*****

Harriett herself answered the door when Emily knocked the following morning.  “Are you all ready?” Harriett looked the younger woman up and down taking her measure.

Emily nodded.  “I finished my wedding dress just last night.  I didn’t have time to make any other clothes, but you’re right, I can handle that when I get to Minnesota.”

Harriett stepped onto the front porch, and they walked together toward the train station.  “Do you have your ticket and the spending money Mr. Johnson sent you?  You’ll need the money for food on the train.”  She patted the small bag over her shoulder.  “I packed you some sandwiches that will work for today to get you started.”

“Oh, thank you!”  Emily was surprised by the other woman’s small act of kindness.  “Yes, I have everything.  I even have the dress I wore to church my first day there and the quilt my mother made for me before I was born.”

Harriett eyed the bag Emily carried.  “I hope you remembered to pack some clothes as well.”  She sounded doubtful as she looked at the size of the bag.

Emily laughed.  “I only have two work dresses, a Sunday dress, and now my wedding dress.  There was plenty of room for other things.”  Emily was wearing her Sunday dress and a long winter coat.  It was getting chilly in the mornings now that they were well into October.  “Thank you for seeing me off.  It does make it easier for me.”

When they arrived at the train station the two women sat together and spoke loudly to be heard over the din.  “I want you to write to me as soon as you get to Minnesota.  After you’ve been married a week or two, you need to write again so I’ll know you’re in a good situation.  If anything is wrong, we’ll find a way to get you out.”

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.  Marriage was forever.  No matter what kind of situation she found herself in, she had no right to leave or even think about leaving.  Surely Harriett knew that.

“Some men hit their wives or treat them badly.  If that happens to you, even once, you need to write to me and I’ll send you a train ticket home.  Do you understand?”  The look in Harriett’s eyes was intense as she spoke.

Emily nodded, wondering why Harriett was bringing it up.  “I will.”  She didn’t think she could, but it seemed so important to Harriett, she would agree to anything to give the other woman peace of mind.

“There’s no reason for any woman to ever stay in a bad situation.  All women should be told that before they marry.”

“I’ll remember.”

The conductor called then.  “All aboard!”

Emily stood.  “I guess this is goodbye.  Thank you for all your help, and I’ll write as soon as I get there.”  It seemed strange that she felt such a close friendship with this woman when they’d only met a few times.  She was truly going to miss her, though.

“I appreciate it.  I’ll be watching for your letter.”

On impulse Emily hugged the other woman goodbye.  “Thanks for being my friend when I needed one.”

Harriett clutched the younger woman to her.  “Everyone deserves to have a friend when they need one.”

Harriett stood watching the younger woman until she was on the train, and then watched as the train pulled out of the station.  She said a quick prayer the girl would find what she needed in Minnesota before turning to walk home through the streets of Beckham.  She wouldn’t receive the letter telling her Emily was safe fast enough.

Chapter Three

Emily felt overwhelmed by the huge crowd at the St. Paul train station.  How was she going to be able to spot Benjamin with all these people around?  She fought the panic rising in her throat and concentrated on what he’d told her in his letter.  He was a tall blond and would be holding a sign with her name on it.  She was short enough she had to stand on tiptoe to see over the shoulders of the people in front of her.  Had he decided not to come?  What would she do if he left her stranded there at the train station?

She hated crowds and the panic that came from being in the center of one was getting worse and worse.  She needed to find him and get out of the city as quickly as she could, but the longer she stood there, the harder it became for her to see out through the crowd.  She forced herself to breathe slowly and evenly. 
Please, God, let this crowd move so I can see him.

The couple in front of her moved off and she could finally see out over the ocean of faces. Off to the side, she saw a tall man holding a sign painted on a piece of wood over his head.  It read, “Emily Hughes.”  She breathed a sigh of relief, picked up her bag and made her way to the man weaving in and out of people on her way.  She stopped in front of him and mumbled, “I’m Emily.”

He looked at her in surprise for a moment.  She’d said she was short, but this girl couldn’t be twenty, could she?  She was much too small to be the one he was looking for.  “You’re Emily Hughes?  Here to marry Benjamin Johnson?” he asked in a big booming voice.

She nodded.  Why did he look so surprised?  She’d described herself.  Was she not what he’d expected?

Why does she look like she’s afraid of her own shadow?
he wondered.

He took her bag from her hand and led her to his buggy.  In his mind, she’d been taller and blonder.  Sure, she’d told him she was a brunette, but somehow, in his mind, she looked just like Anna.  She wasn’t what he’d expected in a bride, and he found himself instantly disappointed.  Anna had been so outgoing, everyone crowded around her everywhere she went.  He imagined Emily would be the one hiding in the corner at church socials so she didn’t actually have to talk to anyone.

And her clothes.  What was she thinking coming out here to get married in clothes that were so ragged?  Did she not realize he was a businessman and he needed his wife to live up to his reputation?  He hoped she’d packed something suitable to be married in.

When they reached his buggy, he put his bag in the back and held out his hand to help her into her seat.  She’d rarely ridden behind a horse.  She and her mother had never owned one.  They’d been able to walk everywhere they needed to go in their small town.

Once she was seated, he walked around and climbed up beside her.  “Did you have a good journey?”

“It was nice, thank you.”

She spoke so softly, he could barely hear her.  “The girls are very excited to meet you.  They’ve talked about nothing but getting a new mama for weeks.”

“I’m glad.”  She didn’t look at him choosing to stare down at her hands instead.

“I thought about bringing them with me, but it’s a long drive, so I left them with my parents last night.”

“I’m excited to meet them.”  She really wished he would have brought them.  She would have felt a great deal more comfortable with the children there.  She had no idea what to say to a man.  She wasn’t sure she’d ever been alone with a man before, so she felt out of her element.  She’d been so quiet and shy during her school years she’d never even had a beau.  It was easier for her that way.

“So you were a cook back East?”  He navigated the busy streets skillfully happy to see they were almost out of town.  He should be able to hear her better once they didn’t have the noise from the city around them. 

“Yes.”

“Were you a cook in a restaurant?”  How many questions could he ask before he ran out of things to say?  Surely, she’d respond to something with more than one sentence.

“No, for a family in town.”

“What type of food can you cook?”

She shrugged.  “I never really thought about it.  Just normal food, I guess.”

Finally, they were away from the noise of the city.  “Normal food?  Do you cook any Norwegian foods?”  He knew his mother would be much happier if she could at least cook Norwegian dishes.

“I couldn’t even tell you what dishes are Norwegian.  What are some Norwegian foods?”

He glanced at her in surprise.  “Rakfisk, lutefisk, syltelabb, smalahove, pickled herring?”  At her blank stare, he chuckled.  “Well, maybe
Mor
can teach you to cook Norwegian.”

“
Mor
?”

“It’s the Norwegian word for mother.  What nationality are you?”  Maybe he could get her talking about her heritage.  He didn’t want to make the long drive back home with her sitting in total silence.  Talking to Anna had never been an effort.  Maybe
Mor
was right and he was making a big mistake.

She shrugged.  “Irish, French and English, I believe.”

“So your family has been here for a long time I take it?”  So much for that potential conversation.  What could he possibly persuade her to talk about?  Was she this shy with everyone, or was it simply because she knew they’d be married in a few hours?

“Yes.  Yours?”

“My parents immigrated here from Norway.”

“They live near you?”  She knew he was trying to get her to talk with him, but she was having a hard time knowing what to say.  She was always shy, but this was the worst it had ever been.  Her mother had explained about the wedding night to her, and knowing she’d be doing
that
with him in just a few hours was nerve wracking.

He nodded.  “All of my family is in Minnesota.  Most are close.”  He liked having family nearby.

“Do you have a big family?”

“I have seven brothers and four sisters.”

Her eyes widened.  “And they’re all close enough that I’ll meet them soon?”  She tried to keep the dread from her voice.  She hoped they wouldn’t all be there for the wedding.  She didn’t think she could handle meeting that many new people all on one day.  It was hard enough just meeting him and the girls.

“Yes, you’ll meet most of them this evening at the wedding supper.”

“Wedding supper?  You had time to plan a wedding supper?”  Why had she pictured him and the girls with her for the wedding and them all standing in front of the preacher together?  She hadn’t seen this as a normal wedding with a big group of people.  How was she going to handle being the center of attention that way?  She felt the panic rising in her throat again, but tried to hide how very afraid she was of the idea.

“It’s just going to be at my parents’ house.  Nothing formal and just family.”  Why was she nervous about meeting his family?  Surely she’d realized he and his girls wouldn’t be isolated with no family around.

“That’s a lot of people, though.  Sounds like your family is the entire state of Minnesota!”

He laughed.  “Not even close.  There are a lot of us, though.  I’m the youngest, so you’ll meet lots of brothers and sisters and nephews and nieces today.”  Now that she was actually talking to him, she didn’t seem to be so bad.  “How many brothers and sisters do you have?” 

“I’m an only child.  My father died when I was two, and my mother never remarried.  She’s getting married next month, though.”  She stared out at the scenery as they drove through the countryside.  She was surprised by how pretty Minnesota was.  The carriage was small enough they were pressed together from shoulder to hip.  She wished she could move a respectable distance away, but they’d be married in a few hours so it probably didn’t matter too much except in her mind.

He hadn’t been sure how he’d react physically to his bride, but he found he liked the way she was pressed against him.  At first, he hadn’t liked her appearance, simply because it was so different from Anna’s, but the more time he spent with her, the more he realized that he was looking forward to his wedding night.  “Is that why you answered my letter?”

She nodded.  “My mother’s fiancé didn’t like the idea of having me there after the wedding.  It was either become a mail order bride or find a family who would hire me as a live in servant.  My experience with the family I’ve been working for made me decide I’d rather be a mail order bride.”

“What happened with them?”

She thought for a moment about the best way to answer him.  “I’ve been working for the same family for the past three years.  I was hired to be a cook, but it’s gradually become more and more.  For the past few months, I’ve been expected to cook not only three meals per day, but also do all the dusting and cleaning and take care of the two children.  None of that would bother me if my pay had risen with my duties.  If they’d paid me for everything I’d done, I’d have been able to find a place to live and support myself.”  She sighed.  “I was looking for a different position in the local paper when my mother told me about her marriage.”

He thought about what she’d told him.  “You were right to get out of that situation.  I’m glad you came out here to be part of our family.”  He took her hand, which was resting on her lap, and squeezed it in his own. 

She felt her hand tingling where he held it.  She looked down and saw how huge his hand was compared to hers and felt overwhelmed again.  He dwarfed her in every way.  “Tell me about the bacon sandwiches.”  She wondered how it would be to kiss a man who was so much bigger than her.  Or any man for that matter.  Was it wrong to think about kissing him?  They would be married in a few hours, so maybe it was okay.

He laughed.  “Bacon is about the only thing I can cook. 
Mor
brings bread into town for us every other day or so, and will usually bring a meal with her.  If she doesn’t bring enough food to last until her next visit, the girls are stuck with eating bread and jam or bacon sandwiches.  I’d just made bacon sandwiches again right before my girls and I sat down to write that letter.”

It was just as she’d guessed.  “So your girls would give just about anything to never have to eat another bacon sandwich?”  If they were that sick of bacon, they would love her on sight.  Even in her modesty, she knew she was an excellent cook.  The comments she received from the dinner parties she’d cooked for had left her in no doubt about that.

He shrugged.  “The younger one especially.  She’s got more spirit in her.  The older one thanks me sweetly every time I put anything on the table.”  And that worried him.  He knew Abbie was as sick of bacon sandwiches as he and Georgie were, but she seemed almost afraid to say anything about it.  Emily actually reminded him a bit of Abbie.

“They sound like lovely children.  I can’t wait to meet them.”  Even though she was nervous about being a wife and about meeting his family, she was excited at the prospect of having two little girls to love. 

“They’ve been calling you their ‘Mail Order Mama’ ever since you answered the letter.  I hope they’ll shorten it to just ‘Mama’ after we marry, but I’m not certain they will.”  He felt the need to warn her there could be some slips from the girls.

“I won’t mind either way.  They can even call me Emily until they feel more comfortable with something else.”

He shook his head.  “No, that wouldn’t be respectful.” 

They drove along in silence for a few minutes, and she realized he was still holding her hand.  She found she didn’t mind at all.  It felt good to be touched.

By the time they reached his town, she was happy to see the buildings rising before them.  She had never been much of a conversationalist, and had found it difficult to keep up her end of the conversation with the handsome stranger sitting beside her.

He pointed out his mercantile with the huge sign reading “Benjamin’s Bargains”. 

“Do you get a lot of business?” she asked.

“I’m the only mercantile in town and all the surrounding farmers shop at my store.  I do a good business.”  He looked over at her.  “I’ll be asking for your help from time to time.  Maybe a couple of hours in the afternoon, or taking a whole day here and there.  The girls are good at staying out of trouble while I work.”

He pulled up in front of a small house just down from the church.  “I thought we were on our way to get married.”

He nodded and walked around the buggy, helping her down.  “We are.  My sister said to bring you to her house first.  She insisted you’d need to take a bath after so many days on the train and you might need help with your hair.”  He pulled his pocket watch out and looked at it.  “We have just over an hour before the wedding.”

He reached into the back and pulled her bag out, carrying it for her up to the small house.  He knocked on the door and a tall blond woman opened it.  “Birgitta, this is my bride, Emily.  Emily, my sister, Birgitta.”

Emily smiled glad to meet one of his siblings before the others, so she wouldn’t be as overwhelmed later.  “It’s nice to meet you.”  She knew her voice had dropped to a mere whisper again. 

Birgitta’s eyes met Benjamin’s over Emily’s head.  “She’s tiny!”  She opened her door wide.  “Come in. Come in!  We must get you ready for your wedding.”  She pointed her finger at Benjamin.  “You go away.  We’ll see you at the church.  Go make sure
Mor
has your pretty girls ready.”