Mail Order Matron (Brides of Beckham Book 9) (4 page)

She swept the main room and set about scrubbing the floors.  How could so much dirt have settled into a small space?  Had the floors even been scrubbed once in the six years since his wife had died?

Finally, she finished the floors and moved onto the walls.  She decided she’d wait to take everything out of the cabinets and scrub them out tomorrow.  Her back was starting to hurt from the work she’d already done.

She brought in the clothes from the line, carefully folding all of his things and hanging the curtains.  Once the laundry was put away, she reheated the stew from lunch.  She’d spent all day, and she hadn’t finished everything yet.  Another day or two and she’d have the house how she wanted it, and she could move on to more interesting things.

She quickly whipped up the batter for a cake, knowing that having the sweet would thrill her new husband. 

When he came in for supper, he brought in another pail of milk and hung his hat on the hook by the door.  He moved across the room to put the milk on the table beside her before pulling her close.  She’d covered the cake with a towel, and carefully aired out the house, hoping he wouldn’t realize she’d made the cake, because she wanted to surprise him.

The kiss they shared was a bit more intimate than before; his tongue swept into her mouth, and she clung to his shoulders.  When he pulled back, he grinned at her.  “I think I’m going to like being married to you.”  He sounded surprised to say the words.

She grinned at him.  She was finding that now that he was opening up to her more, she liked him too.  “I hope so.”  He sat at the table, and she brought stew again.  “I’m sorry to serve the same thing twice in one day, but I had a lot of other things to do today.”  She bit her lip, worried that he’d be upset with her.

He laughed.  “Just don’t serve it for five years straight, and we’ll be fine.”  He looked down at the stew.  “On second thought, if it’s always this good, and I’m not eating my own cooking?  You probably could serve it for five years straight.”

She laughed.  “I’m glad you don’t mind, but I won’t serve it for every meal.”  She took her seat across from him, a pile of bread in the center of the table.

They chatted happily throughout the meal, both of them starting to feel comfortable with the other.  “The house looks great.  I can’t believe you were able to do that much in just a day.”

“It wasn’t easy,” she said with a grin.  “I barely took any time off.” 

At the end of the meal, she stood to put her dishes in the sink and filled the sink with hot soapy water that she had heating on the stove.  When he brought her his bowl, she washed it quickly.  Turning to the cabinet she pulled down a small plate and took the towel off the cake, serving him a piece.

He stared at it with a big smile.  She hadn’t had the ingredients to make icing for the cake, so instead, she’d whipped some cream to top it.  She handed him the cake with a fork, and he hurried back to the table, taking a big bite.  “You made me a cake on a day you were cleaning the house from top to bottom?”

She smiled and shrugged self-consciously.  “You told me you like sweets.  I guess it’s my way of thanking you for being so understanding.”  Julia carried her own piece of cake to the table and sat down with it, taking a bite and smiling.  She was very happy with how it had turned out.  She hadn’t been sure with the different ingredients she had to work with than back home, but she’d done her best.

“You’re going to spoil me with good food and sweets.”

She smiled at him.  “You deserve to be spoiled.”

When they finished eating, he watched as she washed and dried the dishes.  When she turned around, he gestured for her to come to him.  Once she stood in front of him, he pulled her down onto his lap and nuzzled her neck.

She squealed with surprise.  “I’ll squash you!”

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her tightly.  “Squash me?  I’m made of stronger stuff than that.”  He nipped at her neck, surprising her, but causing a tingling sensation to travel all down her spine. 

She shivered in his arms.  “What are you doing?”

“I’m wooing my wife.”  He pulled her face down to his for a kiss, his tongue moving into her mouth to twine with hers.  His hands traveled up and down her plump body, enjoying the feel of her softness against his fingers.  He couldn’t believe she felt so unsure of herself.  She was perfect in his eyes.

He moved one hand around to cup her breast, and she stiffened with surprise.  Hadn’t he said he would give her two weeks?  She started to protest, but decided she liked the feel of his hand there and instead arched against him, turning toward him more fully.

He cupped her bottom and adjusted her so she was facing him fully with one leg on either side of his.  Her arms went around his shoulders and she gave herself over to the sensations he was causing her.  After a minute, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.  “We’re going to have to stop now if you want to stop.”

She was out of breath as she pulled back, looking into his dark brown eyes.  How could she have ever thought she favored blue?  She saw the spark in them as she sighed.  “I think we should.  I don’t feel right about it yet, although, your methods are very convincing.”

She realized then that her skirt was up to her thighs, and she blushed furiously, climbing off his lap to cover herself.  What was she thinking sitting on him like that? 

He chuckled softly.  “Soon, my dear wife, soon.”

She turned away from him and walked toward the bedroom.  “I’m going to change into my nightgown.  Give me five minutes, please?”

Chapter Five

Julia changed quickly and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to her neck.  She didn’t want to risk Edward seeing her.  When he realized how she looked without her corset, he wouldn’t want to touch her at all any longer.

She’d just finished covering when he opened the door and shucked off his clothes, slipping into bed beside her.  Instead of turning away from her, he pulled her into his arms.  “You’re not going to kiss me good night?”

She sighed and lifted her lips to his, brushing them across his.  She pulled away and rested her head on his shoulder.  “I guess I was ready for the housework part of marriage, but this is still strange to me.”

He smiled in the dark, kissing her forehead.  “It’ll take a little time, but you’ll get used to me touching you.  Soon, I hope.  Because I plan on touching you everywhere.”  His lips dropped to her ear.  “Has anyone ever touched you between your legs?”

She shook her head with wide eyes.  “Never!”

“I will.  Soon.  What do you think it will feel like?”

He shouldn’t be talking to her this way.  Should he?  “I don’t know…”

“Do you want me to show you now?” he asked softly.  “I promise, you’ll like it a lot.”

She blushed, shaking her head.  “I can’t let you do that.”

He laughed.  “Nothing is wrong between husband and wife.  You’ll like what I do to you.”

“I don’t think this conversation is proper.”

“It’s not at all.  It’s naughty,” he whispered against her ear as he nipped it softly.  “You like it though, don’t you?”

“No, of course I don’t.”  She denied it quickly, but she did like it.  She liked knowing that he desired her.

“Go to sleep.  Tomorrow will be another long day.”  He tucked her head onto his shoulder. 

“I can’t sleep all pressed against you this way!” she protested.

“Sure you can.  You’ll even like it.”  He stroked her back soothingly until her breathing became even.  “Good night, sweet wife.”

*****

Julia woke to Edward kissing her, his hands stroking up and down her sides.  “It’s time to get up, sweetheart.”

She sighed, stretching.  “Is it morning already?”

He laughed.  “You’re not a morning person?”

She shook her head.  “Not in the slightest.  I get up and do what I’m supposed to do, but I’d rather laze in bed for another hour or two.”

He rolled out of bed and pulled his clothes on, his back to her in the pre-dawn darkness.  “Farm life means being up before the rooster.”

She grumbled.  “I should have thought of that before I married a farmer, shouldn’t I?”

He laughed softly.  “I’ll be back with the milk and eggs in a minute.”

When she heard the front door close, she jumped out of bed and quickly dressed for the day.  She hurried into the kitchen and started the stove and the coffee immediately.  She’d decided to toast some of the bread from the day before to go with some eggs and bacon.  She preferred her eggs with a soft yolk, and he seemed to be happy with anything she cooked.

She made him four eggs and herself two.  She served the toast with butter, but put a small pot of preserves on the table.  He must have found them in town.  She promised herself she’d find time to go berry picking that day.  She’d seen a patch along the narrow lane that led to their property.  She’d love to make some pies and her own jams.  She remembered making jams with her mother growing up and had always enjoyed the experience immensely.  She mourned the mother she’d grown up with still, but she’d been mourning her for sixteen years.

When he came in with the milk and eggs, she had the table set and coffee in front of each of their plates.  He set his burdens down and washed his hands, moving to sit across from her.  He took her hand in his as he said the prayer for their meal.  It was the first time he’d taken her hand for a prayer, and she liked it immensely.

He looked down at the eggs with a big smile.  “I tried to figure out how to make eggs this way, but I just kept ruining them!  I broke the yolk every time.”

“This is my favorite way to eat eggs.  Unless I have some cheese and then I like to make an omelet.”

“I like these just fine.  Thank you for always having meals ready for me.”

She was pleased that he was so grateful for everything she did.  Her mother had never thanked her for anything, and having someone who actually appreciated her made her feel good.  “I’m happy to do it.”

  “Is there anything you need me to do for you before I get to work today?” he asked. 

Julia nodded.  “Would you bring the tub in?  I feel like I’m covered in filth from the train still, and I really need a bath.”  The tin tub was leaning against the side of the house.  She could have managed on her own, but they both knew it would be much easier for him.

“Sure.  I’ll get it right after breakfast.”  His eyes met hers impishly.  “Do you need me to wash your back for you?  It’s hard to get yourself.”

“I think I’ll be okay.”  She blushed profusely, looking down at her empty plate.  She was shocked at how much he talked about intimacies.  She stood and took her dishes to the sink to wash them, and while she was there, she put some huge kettles of water on the stove to heat. 

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back against him.  “You’re so much fun to tease.  Who’d have thought a woman of your age could still blush so much?”

“Are you saying something about my age, Edward Allen?”  She turned in his arms, her hands on her hips.

He laughed.  “Course not, Mrs. Allen.  I wanted a woman who was at least thirty, remember?”

“Just not necessarily a woman who had never married who was over thirty?”

“I wouldn’t change that about you for anything.”

“Hmph.  Not even for a willing wife in your bed?”

  He hugged her tightly.  “I’m not angry with you for that.  I’m a little…anxious to get to that part of our marriage, but your feelings are more important than my physical desires.”  He kissed her quickly.  “Now let me go drag that tub in.  I’ll empty it at noon, so don’t you try to do that yourself.”

“I won’t.”  She saw that the first pot of water was boiling, so she pushed it toward one edge of the stove and put another in the middle.  She finished the dishes while he dragged the tub in, and he poured the first two pots of hot water into the tub for her, and followed them with some cold. 

“Test the water and see if it’s to your liking.”

She put her hand into the water.  It was still steaming, but not so hot she’d burn herself.  “That’s perfect.  Thank you.”

“You sure you don’t need my help?”

“I’m sure.  Go get some work done!”

He laughed as he left, shutting the door behind him.  She stood at the window and watched until he was out of sight before quickly stripping out of her clothes and sliding into the tub.  She didn’t think he’d return before she finished, but he was in a playful mood, and she wasn’t sure.

She washed quickly, making sure she washed her hair as well, before jumping out of the tub and dressing.  It was getting chilly in the mornings, and she shivered as she put her clothes on.

She planned a simple bacon sandwich for lunch, because she wanted to surprise him with a pie for supper.  She spent the morning cleaning out the cabinets, scrubbing them down, and rearranging them to her specifications. 

He didn’t say a word about having bacon sandwiches for lunch.  He just thanked her for cooking for him.  “What are your plans for the afternoon?” he asked.  He looked around the house.  “I can’t see that there’s much more that needs to be cleaned!”

She smiled proudly.  “I still want to do the outside of the windows, but that can wait another day or two.  I thought I’d wander around and explore the area for a bit.  I’ll start dinner and then do some walking.  I like to take healthful walks, and once the snow settles in, that’s going to be hard.”

“That’s fine.  Do you want me to show you around?”

“No, I’ll be fine, thank you.”

He left after lunch, kissing her quickly and squeezing her bottom.  His constant touch had her thinking maybe she should just break down and have relations with him.  She certainly wasn’t uncomfortable around him any longer.  She watched him go and quickly started a simple supper.  It was the dessert she wanted to surprise him with.

She rushed down the narrow road, carefully walking in one of the wagon tracks to avoid the overgrown weeds on either side of her.  She got to the spot where she’d seen the berries, and on closer inspection, realized there were both blackberries and raspberries.  She’d brought two pails to put the berries in, and she was thrilled.  She could make a jam of each one and some combined.  She’d never be able to pick all the berries, though.  She’d have to come back again the following day for more.

When she got back an hour later, she quickly cleaned the berries and mixed them with sugar.  She let the mixture set while she rolled out the pie crusts and threw the first pie in the oven.  She made three pies total with the berries she’d picked, knowing she’d go back and pick more to make jam with the following day.  It was going to be fun to see his excitement at the new dessert. 

She’d made pork for supper, using the salt pork he’d picked up in town and adding in some carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes.  She really wished she had fresh meat to cook with, but she was a city girl and much too squeamish to butcher an animal herself. 

When he walked in the house at five, he took a deep sniff of the air, and a smile covered his face.  “Pie?  Do I smell pie?”

She laughed.  “Maybe.”

He walked to where she stood in front of the stove about to take the pot with dinner out of the oven.  He scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around.  “Just so you know, I’m keeping you.”

“You weren’t planning to keep me before?”

“Well, I was, but now?  I’ll fight for the right.”

“I guess I’d better keep making pies!”

He kissed her, a long and lingering kiss that made her melt into him, her knees going weak, before he went to sit at the table.  “Dinner smells good, too.”

She laughed.  “But if I weren’t here, you’d skip straight to pie, wouldn’t you?”

He shrugged.  “I’d eat pie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if no one was looking.”

“It’s a good thing that I’m here to keep you eating your meat and vegetables then, isn’t it?”  She put the potatoes and other vegetables onto the table and carried the meat over, setting it down.  “Milk to drink?”

“Yes, please.”  He watched her move, so happy that he finally had a wife to take care of him. 

After their prayer, she looked at him, biting her lip.  “It would be really nice to have some fresh meat to cook with.”

He smiled.  “Is that a hint?”

She grinned.  “Well, I can make do with what we have, of course, but I am used to having a butcher that I can run and see whenever I want.”

“I could butcher one of the pullets in the morning, and then do some hunting later in the week.  There are lots of birds and rabbits in the area.”  He shrugged.  “In another month, one of the neighbors will be butchering some of his cows, and I’ll buy one.”

“That would be nice.  Thank you.  Fresh meat will be nice to mix in with the salted meat, so we can have some variety.”

“I hope you don’t think that you need to have a huge variety to make me happy.  I’m so excited to not have to cook for myself anymore, I think I’d eat dirt if you seasoned it.”

She chuckled.  “I’ll keep that in mind.  I made a lot of mud pies as a young child.”

She brought them each a slice of pie as soon as they’d finished eating, and his eyes closed as he savored the flavor.  “Is that blackberry or raspberry?” He looked down at it questioningly.

“Both!”

His eyes lit up.  “No wonder it’s so good.”

“I’m glad you like them this way.  I made all three pies the same, but I’m planning on picking more berries tomorrow so I can make jam.  I’ll also can some pie filling so we can have pies through the winter.  I’d like to pick some apples this week, too.”

He frowned.  “I’ll go with you to pick the apples.  I don’t want you climbing trees by yourself.”

She laughed.  “I’m a lot stronger than you think I am.”

He shook his head.  “With all the work you’ve done since you arrived, I’m not questioning your strength.  I don’t want you hurt.”

“I’ll wait for you then.  Maybe some afternoon, you can spare time to pick apples with me.”

“There are a few apple trees on our property, but not a lot.  I hope apples aren’t your favorite fruit.”

She shook her head.  “They’re not, but I do enjoy apple sauce and a good apple pie.  I’d like to be able to make those for you.”

He sighed contentedly as he finished the huge slice of pie she’d served him.  “I’d like that as well.”

Julia cleared the dishes and quickly washed them.  She’d put in a full day, but after two good nights worth of sleep, she was feeling much better.  When she was finished she turned to find him watching her closely.  She smiled and walked to him, leaning down to kiss him briefly.  “You’re always watching me.”