The Christmas Mail Order Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides, Book One) (8 page)

Summer’s
thoughts stilled and her eyes widened as she noticed something outside the window.  She suddenly sat up and stared in awe at the sight of snow gently falling through the fading streams of moonlight.  Clouds began to blot out the stars as they slowly moved across the sky to settle in and send to earth what would surely blanket the farm with beautiful white by morning.

Snow. Summer had never seen it.  Not even during her long journey to
Nowhere.  Oh sure it was evident in the mountains above the cities and towns she’d passed through on her way.  She’d stared at the snow-covered hills for as long as she could before getting a horrible kink in her neck as the stage coach rumbled along.  There was more sunshine than anything else once the stage entered the Washington territory and she began to wonder at the stories she’d heard from her fellow passengers as to the never-ending rain that plagued this part of the country.  But she wasn’t going all the way to Oregon City.  Nowhere was located at least three hundred miles northeast of there.  The sun obviously much more abundant in this part of the territory and for that Summer was glad.

She settled back as best she could without moving her foot too much, put her hands behind her head and sighed in contentment. Snow, it was pure, clean and bright and to
Summer, represented the beginning of her new life.  And it was all due to Mrs. Ridgley and Mrs. Teeters.

Summer smiled, sent up another prayer for her two benefactors, closed her eyes, and for once in her life fell into a blissful dream filled sleep.

Eight

The next day passed pleasantly enough.  As Clayton said, Summer didn’t see him until supper time, neither him nor his brother. Mrs. Riley took advantage of the absent menfolk to see to it Summer got cleaned up.  She helped her into a chair that afternoon and washed her hair over a small metal tub on the floor. She used a bucket of hot water and a pitcher for rinsing, then helped her wash her body as best she could as she was unable to get into a tub of water herself.  However, Summer was used to this type of ‘dry bathing’ as there was never any time for an actual bath at the orphanage.  For one, the several tubs they used usually had a child in it!  She and the older orphans helped Mrs. Teeters take care of the endless stream of dirty little ones that needed constant bathing.

Summer was then delighted when Mrs. Riley presented her with a
beautiful red dress she had stored in the attic.  “It was mine when I was your age.  I think it should fit.  I wish I had another for you to have for day use but I gave them all away.  I saved this one though.”

“Why did you save this one?”

Mrs. Riley smiled as she held up the dress. “I was wearing it the day I met Charles.  It was near Christmas time, just like it is now and I was singing in the church Christmas pageant.  That was when Charles and I both lived in Philadelphia.  Oh those were grand days!  I should bring the hat down too.  It matches this dress perfectly!  I don’t know what happened to my red jacket or muffler but I’m sure we can get those things at the mercantile.”

“Oh Mrs. Riley, it’s so beautiful!  If I can get my hands on some yarn and knitting needles, I can knit a shawl.  You don’t have to go through all the trouble and expense of getting a coat and muffler.”

“Nonsense, child!  You’ll freeze to death out here once winter really sets in!  And besides, you can’t have a good old fashioned snow fight with the boys wearing just a shawl!”

“Snow fight?”

“Yes, dear.  It’s tradition.  My cousins travel down every year and spend the holidays with us.  With luck we’ll have snow and then you’ll see what a battle is really like!  But even if there isn’t any snow, they’ll be excited all the same because of your wedding!”

A tingle of delight raced up
Summer’s spine.  Mrs. Riley hadn’t been able to stop talking about wedding details until early that afternoon.  It was only just now as she helped Summer put on the dress that she brought it up. “Lean on me dear and brace yourself while I smooth out the skirt.”

Summer did as instructed and standing on one foot
, held onto one of Mrs. Riley’s shoulders as she bent over and brushed out the skirt with her hands.  “How do I look,” Summer asked as the woman finally stood.

Mrs. Riley brought a chair over.  “Hang onto this dear,” she began as she walked a circle around her and inspected her handiwork.  “Oh its beautiful!  A little outdated maybe, but beautiful just the same!  Wait until Clayt
on gets a gander at you!  Won’t he be fit to be tied?”

“Fit to be tied?” Summer echoed, worry in her voice.

“Oh don’t misunderstand me, what I mean is he’s gonna bust a gut he’ll be so enamored with how you look!  I bet he starts thinking about running into town to fetch the preacher!”

Summer relaxed.  Her sudden insecurity at the remark surprised even her.  She was going to have to learn to trust the man and take him at his word.  She just needed to be sure she understood clearly any “words” that came out of Clayton Riley’s mouth or they might have another misunderstanding such as the day before.  Summer certainly didn’t want a repeat of that incident!

Mrs. Riley went about preparing supper after
she had Summer resettled on the bed with a book of poetry.  She no sooner got in a few poems when she heard voices and the sound of horses trotting into the barn yard.  The brothers were home.

Summer sat up straighter and craned her neck to see out the wi
ndow but her little room was on the right side of the house and she couldn’t see the barn yard.  What she could see was the beautiful dusting of snow she awoke to that morning and that had remained throughout the day.  She hoped it would snow again.  She longed to touch it, feel it against her skin, even taste it!  What she’d really like to do was lay in it and make snow angels like the ones she heard Elnora talk about.  Summer sighed in remembrance as she listened to the Riley brother’s voices drift in through the glass of her window.

Elnora, how she missed her little friend.  Elle was always getting into trouble.  She could still hear Mrs. Teeters yelling,
Elnora Barstow!  Your parents are gonna turn over in their graves when they see what you’re doing! 
She and Elle would giggle then run like the dickens to avoid getting caught by Mrs. Teeters or her handyman Clarence for their mischief. What fun it had been!  Summer wondered what Elle was going to do when it came her time to leave.  Good heavens!  That could be any day now!  Her birthday was ... was … Summer quickly calculated dates in her head.  Good Lord!  Elle’s birthday was next week!  “Oh no!”

“Oh no what?” Clayton asked from the doorway.

Summer jumped.  She’d been so busy trying to figure out if Elle’s birthday had come and gone she hadn’t heard him enter the house. “Lord have mercy, you scared me!”

“I ca
n see that. You about came off the bed. Now answer the question. 
Oh no
what?”

Summer blinked at him a few times as she tried to gather her wits.  “My … my friend Elle. Elnora actually, Elle’s her nickname.  Her
birthday is next week.”

“Are you worried
she’ll think you forgot?”  Clayton asked as he pulled the chair away from the desk and sat.

“No, no it’s not that it’s …”

He looked her over carefully as he took in her expression.  “It’s what?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. 

“That nothing means something Miss James and I aim to find out what it is.”

Summer gulped.  She could see she’d not be able to keep anything from Sheriff Clayton Riley.  It was probably one of the things that made h
im a Sheriff in the first place!

“She … she’s turning eighteen.”

Clayton rubbed his face with his hands a few times before he looked at her. “I see. And that means she’s about to be in the same pickle that you were in is that it?”

Summer nodded, tears in her eyes.  The thought of Mr. Slade getting his vile hands on Elle made her entire body go cold.  “If she can’t find work right away …”

“She has just as good a chance as you did.  Besides, maybe she’ll become a mail order bride as well and if she’s lucky, land herself a fella as handsome as me.”

She smiled and her shoulders shook with silent mirth.  But his teasing didn’t make the cold, dark feeling of dread go away and
Summer began to wonder how she was going to get in touch with her friend.

“My, my, don’t you look pretty!” Clayton suddenly exclaimed, distracting her from her train of thought.  “That color looks incredible on you!  What a beautiful shade of red! Where ever did you …
”

Summer blushed from head to toe at his compliments. “Yes, it’s your mother’s,” she said when his brow knit together in recollection. Surely he’d
seen the dress before, but his expression clearly told her he couldn’t remember where or when.

“Ohhhh yes, that’s where I’ve seen it
!  Up in the attic!  You mean to tell me my mother dragged that old thing out of a trunk and put you in it?”

“But you just said it was beautiful!”

“I did, and it is, but no wife of mine is going to where hand me downs.”

Summer practically melted when he said it, for the look on his face was decisive and determined and she reveled in the word
wife
long after it escaped his lips.

“But enough of all that, I’m starved. How about you?”

She smiled, nodded, and then let Clayton scoop her up into his arms so he could carry her into the dining parlor.  He turned toward the door with her and stopped.

“What is it?” she asked.

He stood and thought a moment, opened his mouth to speak then shut it again.  Finally he looked down at her, his eyes softened with a tenderness she’d not seen before. “I think I’m gonna miss this once your foot heals.”

Summer blushed a bright pink and smiled shyly back.

Clayton readjusted her in his arms, grinned, and took her in to supper.

* * *

The next day company arrived and Mrs. Riley was abuzz with nervous chatter at the untimely and unexpected intrusion.  “It’s that Nellie Davis and her daughter Charlotte!” She exclaimed the minute she saw the buggy pull up outside.  “How rude to just drop in unannounced!  Here to check out the competition no doubt.”

“Competition?”

Mrs. Riley turned to her from her place at the parlor window.  She helped Summer hop into the room after breakfast.  The thought of spending another whole day in the tiny bedroom sent a horrible dread through Summer.  She wasn’t used to being this idle and couldn’t stand to just sit there all day.  She at least wanted to make herself useful and offered to do some of the mending for Mrs. Riley.  She happily agreed, but no sooner had she gotten settled, the Davis women drove their buggy into the barnyard.

“
Yes, competition,
you
my dear.  I’ve told Nellie that Clayton won’t have anything to do with her daughter Charlotte but the woman won’t listen!  Maybe after she sees you she’ll give up!” She let the lace curtains fall back into place then wrung her hands together. “Well, I guess there’s no help for it, we’ll just have to muddle through the visit as best we can. I do wish Abbey had come with them, she at least would soften the blows.”

“Mrs. Riley, are they really that bad?”

The usual happy expression she wore turned to a frown.  “Yes." She stated flatly then said, "Brace yourself dear, they shoot with both barrels.”

Summer’s mouth dropped open at the comment. 
For Heaven’s sake!  If the women were
that
bad then why were they allowed into the house in the first place?

A loud knock sounded at the door and
Summer straightened in her chair.  She almost wished she was wearing the beautiful red evening dress of Mrs. Riley’s, but it was too inappropriate for day use.  Instead she wore her old dress from the orphanage, the one she’d had in her satchel.  She wasn’t expecting to have visitors and figured it was good as anything to sit around and convalesce in.  At least her face was clean and her hair was up.  She took a deep breath as Mrs. Riley answered the front door.

“Why
Leona Riley! We had no idea you’d be home!  I thought sure you’d be in town shopping for the wedding!” A shrill voice came from the hall.  Summer couldn’t see the front door from where she sat and cringed at the remark.

“If you thought I was in town then what in Heaven’s name are you doing here, Nellie?”

“Oh, mother and I brought your guest something to make her feel better.  I baked them myself,” another voice, this one not so shrill answered. 
The infamous
Charlotte.

An odd pang of jealousy pierced
Summer’s heart and she quickly pushed it away.  How could she be jealous of a woman whom Clayton supposedly had nothing to do with?

Supposedly…

The women glided into the room with tiny, precise steps, Mrs. Riley right behind them, her frown firmly in place as she eyed the two with suspicion. 

Summer felt her spine stiffen in the chair.

“Oh there you are!  Aren’t you just a vision!” Charlotte exclaimed.  “Look mother, isn’t she just too adorable with her foot all wrapped in bandages like that?  Kind of reminds me of our milk cow Effie when she broke her leg,” she said then turned to Summer.  “We had to shoot her of course to put her out of her misery.” Her face suddenly took on a wide-eyed look of innocence. “Does it pain you something awful, dear?  My, my! And to think we can’t take you out and put you out of your misery like poor Effie!  I’m afraid you’ll just have to suffer through!”

Oh. My. Lord.
Summer thought
.
She chanced a glance at Mrs. Riley who looked as if lightening was about to shoot out of her eyes to obliterate the two women. Summer clamped her mouth tightly shut to keep from laughing.

Nellie
turned to Mrs. Riley whose suspicious look immediately sweetened into a smile.  “I declare, Leona, hasn’t the child anything decent to wear? Just look at that old rag she’s got on! Aren’t you the least bit embarrassed?”

Summer’s spine stiffened further.  She couldn’t help it if what she wore was all she had.  She could see that Mrs. Riley whole heartedly agreed as her eyes once again looked like they could be lethal weapons.

“Miss James and I are going into town to purchase what we need for a new wardrobe just as soon as she’s up to it.  Clayton would have it no other way.”

Summer immediately noticed Charlotte’s jaw clench.  She turned to her mother, her brow raised in question. “And would this mean you’re going to see Mrs. Jorgensen?”

“Of course it does!  What other dressmaker is there in town?”  Mrs. Riley asked firmly.