Mail Order Mix Up (3 page)

             
Ellen sighed.  “Don’t you think it’s more important that he be a good person than
he make a lot of money?  The sheriff sounds like the kind of man I’m looking for. 
He wouldn’t put his life on the line every day if he didn’t think helping others was
important.”
  Her sister had never been materialistic, but she hated all of her time being taken
up by chores.  It had been better before their father died, because then they were
only doing the housework, and not all of the farm work as well.

“Maybe.  I’m glad you’re the one marrying him, though.  I’m tired of housework.  You
can have it all!”
  Malinda waved her arm as if to encompass the entire house full of work she was gifting
to her sister.

“I’d gladly do housework every day of my life if it meant I didn’t have to marry a
man who would kick grieving people out of the only home they’ve ever known.  How could
you even think of marrying a banker after what happened this morning?”
  Ellen was stunned at her sister’s attitude.  Sure, housework wasn’t the most fun
thing to do in the world, but it was better than sitting idle while the man you were
married to was out being cruel to others.

“How could you even think of not marrying the richest man you can find after what
happened this morning?”
  Malinda shook her head in confusion.

Ellen shook her head at her younger sister.  “I think we’ll have to agree to disagree
on this one.”  She stood up.  “Let’s get these dishes done so we can go pack
our things
.”

Before they went to bed that evening, everything the sisters owned was in a huge trunk. 
It was good they were going to the same place, because there was only one.  In the
back of her mind, Ellen felt bad for taking the trunk after being told they could
only take their clothing, but she knew they simply didn’t have a choice unless they
wanted to walk down the streets of Beckham with their drawers in their arms.  She
wasn’t willing to make that kind of spectacle of herself, though.

When
Ellen
prayed that night, she thanked God for bringing Harriett Long into their lives.  She
was truly their guardian angel.
  She went to sleep with a smile on her lips as she thought about the good man she’d
marry.  Any man who cared enough for others to do a job where he must risk his life
on a daily basis was one she had to admire. 

Chapter Two

Wesley Harris walked into his brother’s house without knocking as usual.  It drove
Patrick’s housekeeper crazy, but he just didn’t care.  He went to the office his brother
kept at home at the back of the house, knowing he’d find his brother there.  He tended
to work eight hours per day at
the bank
and another four when he got home.  Wesley was glad he had two deputies to take over
when he was ready to go home for the day.  He just wasn’t as dedicated
to working all the time
as his brother.

Wesley and Patrick were both tall with dark hair and brown eyes.  Patrick was slimmer,
due to sitting behind a desk all day, while Wesley was muscular from the regular physical
work he did.
  Wesley was more handsome than Patrick, and had a ready charm about him that many
women found irresistible.  He flirted with all women he met, young or old, married
or single.  He always knew just the right words to say to draw women out of their
shell.

“Got my letter today,” Wesley announced without greeting his brother.
He held up the letter he’d received from a young lady named Ellen Bronson in Beckham
Massachusetts.

“I did too.”  Patrick pushed aside the work in front of him to give his brother his
undivided attention.  They were as close as two such different men could be. 
The years they’d grown up together and the trip out to Colorado had made them close. 
Their time working their gold mines together had cemented their bond. 

“The woman who answered mine is Ellen.  She said her sister was writing to you.”
   Wesley stood for a moment looking around the room.  His handgun was worn casually
at his side as if it was just another item of clothing.

“Malinda said her sister was writing to you.”
  Patrick leaned back in his chair with his hands forming a steeple in front of him
as he studied his younger brother.

Wesley flopped down on the sofa.  “So what’s Malinda like?”

Patrick shrugged.  “She just said she’s nineteen and recently lost her father.  She’s
from Massachusetts and is the daughter of a dairy farmer.  She enjoys
entertaining
and reading.  She plays the piano.  Sounds like she’ll be a good wife for me.  I
need someone who can be the hostess when I give a dinner party.”

Wesley nodded.  “She sounds interesting.  Ellen wrote that she’s kept house for her
father since her mother died eight years ago and she wants a lot of kids.  She’ll
work.  At this point, I’m just ready to not be alone anymore.”
  He wanted a lot from a wife.  Sure, like most men he had physical urges he needed
seen to, but he also wanted someone to help him keep his house clean.  He needed someone
to cook meals for him so he didn’t have to burn his own, and he loved the idea of
having someone to talk to over the dinner table.  He’d eaten way too many lonely meals
in the time he’d been sheriff of their small town.  It would be nice if the face across
the table from his was pretty, but he didn’t consider that a requirement. 

Patrick sighed as he leaned back in his chair.  “I know how you feel.  I think she
could have green hair and orange eyes at this point, and I’d still marry her.  It’s
time.”
  He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, trying to rub out some of the tension
he felt from the hours he spent bent over his desk every day.

Wesley looked around at the immaculate office.  Everything around Patrick was always
immaculate.  It drove Wesley crazy.  Wesley’s house was slightly messy and definitely
needed a woman’s touch.  Patrick’s housekeeper kept his house running like a well-oiled
machine.  Nothing was ever out of place.   “Are you going to send her a train ticket?”

Patrick nodded.  “Of course.  I’m ready for her to get here so we can start our lives
together.”  He paused, his eyes meeting his brothers.  “What about you?”

Wesley nodded.  “I’ll have to wait until Friday when I get paid, but I’ll definitely
send off for her.”
  He wished he had the money then, because he was so very tired of being alone, but
in the great scheme of things, what did a few days matter?

“Why don’t I send someone to Denver to buy the train tickets tomorrow?  That way we
can both send the letters off on Wednesday.  I don’t mind paying for my future sister-in-law’s
ticket.”
  Patrick’s voice was steady and even as he offered.  He’d do anything for his brother,
and it was written on his face.  He just wished he’d let him give him some of the
money they’d dug out of his claim together.

Wesley looked at his brother for a moment considering, but then nodded.  “Sure.  You
have the money, so why not?” 

When the brothers had arrived in Colorado, they’d each staked their own claim.  Patrick
had struck gold immediately, and he’d paid Wesley to help him mine.  They’d tried
to work Wesley’s together once Patrick’s was played out, but there had been no gold
there.  When Patrick had wanted to open a bank, he’d been worried about the lawlessness
of the area in general, so Wesley had become the lawman.  It had worked out well for
both brothers.

Wesley had a modest home near the jail that he was happy in.  He always told Patrick
he would go
crazy
in a house that was as neat as Patrick’s always was.

There was a knock at the study door.  “Would you like refreshments?”
Mrs. Smith asked the two men.

Patrick raised an eyebrow in question.

Wesley grinned at the housekeeper.  “How about feeding me dinner?” he asked.

Mrs. Smith just smiled.  “Of course.  It’ll be ready in an hour.  Do you need something
before then?”
  The smile on her face showed her like for the younger man. 

Wesley winked at the older woman to watch her squirm.  “Do you have any chocolate
cake sitting around?”

Mrs. Smith laughed.  “
Alice
baked a fresh cake this morning.  Would you like a slice now, or for dessert?”

“Yes, I would.”
  Wesley’s biggest downfall was his sweet tooth.  He walked everywhere around town,
because he had to burn off all the sweets he ate somehow.

“Which one?”

“Now
and
for dessert, of course.”
  His eyes pled with her to give him what she wanted, knowing she would.

Mrs. Smith shook her head as she headed for the door.  “You should be fat, Mr. Wesley.”

Wesley grinned and turned back to Patrick.  “I’m staying for dinner.”
  One less night he’d have to eat alone and cook for himself.  Patrick’s cook was
excellent, and he found a way to finagle dinner at his brother’s house at least twice
a week.  More if he could think up a plausible reason for it.

Patrick sighed.  “I caught that.”

“You don’t want me to stay?”
  Wesley did his best to look offended as he stared at his brother.  “But I’m your
favorite brother!”

“I don’t mind you staying to dinner.  I think you need to stop trying to romance my
sixty year old housekeeper, though.
  And you’re my only brother.
”

Wesley stretched out his legs in front of him.  “Even grandmas need love, Pat.”

Patrick shook his head hoping being married would force his brother to be more serious. 
Maybe once the children arrived he’d realize there was more to life than just fun
and games.  “I’m glad we’re going to marry sisters.  It will be nice to have wives
who get along well, and like to spend time together.”

Wesley nodded.  “That’s true.  We probably couldn’t have hand-picked better responses
to our letters.  I just hope they hurry.”
  He rubbed his hands together anxiously.  Soon it would happen.

Patrick smiled.  “So do I.  Just think.  In another five weeks, we could be married.”

“I know you like that idea.  I wouldn’t be here for dinner so much if I had someone
to cook for me.”

Patrick raised an eyebrow.  “You wouldn’t?  I thought you were eating at my house
to save yourself some money.”

Wesley shrugged.  “Well, that too.”

*****

Ellen hurried to the post office, one of the daily chores that had been hers since
she and Malinda had moved in with Harriett.  Malinda preferred to help file the letters
Harriett received and leave any actual activity to Ellen.  Ellen didn’t mind, though. 
She wanted to do as much for Harriett as she possibly could to pay her back for her
hospitality.

She waited her turn at the post office and received a handful of letters addressed
to Harriett.  There were two, though, that were addressed to Ellen and Malinda care
of Harriett.  Those were the letters that truly excited Ellen.  She thought about
tearing
hers
open right there in the post office, but decided she should wait until she got back
to Harriett’s house. 

She walked as quickly as she could through the streets to get back to Harriett’s house. 
She almost broke into a run once, but reminded herself that ladies don’t run through
town.

She rushed into the house and
back
into the study where Malinda was enjoying a lemonade and cookie break while Harriett
continued her work.  She shook her head at her sister, wishing she had the same kind
of work ethic she did.  How could they have been raised by the same parents?

“We got our responses today, Harriett!”  She handed the older woman the letters with
a huge grin on her face. 
She was practically dancing in place as she waited for the other woman to read them.

“You haven’t opened yours yet?” Harriett asked in surprise.  “I don’t know that I
could have restrained myself.”

Ellen shook her head.  “I wasn’t sure if you needed to read them first.”

“Of course not.  I wouldn’t read your mail!”  She gave Ellen the letters back.

Ellen handed the one addressed to Malinda to her sister and sank down onto the sofa
with her own.  She handed the check included to Harriett and skimmed through the letter.

“Dear Ellen, I was thrilled to receive your letter.  You sound like just what I’m
looking for in a wife.  Included is your train ticket and some money for your trip
out here.  My brother and I will stay in my house overnight and we’ll marry the day
after you arrive, allowing you and your sister to use his house.  We’re both very
excited at the idea of marrying sisters.  Your ticket is
for July eigh
teenth, which should give you enough time.  Yours, Wesley.”

Ellen looked at the calendar.  They had four days before the train left, and the trip
would take ten days.   She sighed.  She hated the idea of being on a train for that
long, but was thankful she wouldn’t have to be part of a wagon train to go that far. 
A train ride would be much more pleasant than making the long walk out west.