Mail Order Maternity (Brides of Beckham Book 6) (13 page)

Thomas tipped the straw hat on his head.  “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Long.”

“Please, call me Harriett.”  She looked over at the back of the train and saw they had finished unloading the luggage.  “I have three trunks.  I’m sorry to have to ask you to take it all to the hotel for me.”

Esther shook her head.  “Hotel?  There’s no way my friend is staying in a hotel.  You’re coming back to the homestead with us.”

Harriett smiled and nodded.  “I’d like to see where you live.”

Esther linked her arm through her friend’s and led her to the wagon.  “Sorry it’s not a pretty carriage, but it’s all we have.”  Suddenly she was a bit embarrassed by their lack of material possessions.  Harriett had lived in a big beautiful house and had servants to do her every whim.  How would she feel about staying in a small house in the middle of Kansas?

“No need to apologize.  I don’t care where I am as long as I’m with my friend.”  Esther moved to the middle of the seat and Harriett climbed in beside her.  “You’re getting so big!”

Esther smiled and patted her belly.
 
If anyone else had said that to her, she’d have been embarrassed, but it was Harriett, and she knew Harriett didn’t mean it badly.  “I am.”  She grinned at her friend.  “We had a scare a while back.”

Harriett shook her head.  “What happened?  You’re okay now?”

Esther nodded.  She explained what had happened when she couldn’t find Thomas in the field she’d expected him to be working in.  “I felt like such an idiot later, but I still get so scared if I don’t know exactly where he’s working.  He’s been known to draw me a map before he leaves so I’ll be able to walk right to him if I want to find him for anything.”

Harriett hugged her friend.  “I’m sorry it’s been so hard for you.”  She patted Esther’s stomach.  “You’ve gained back all the weight you lost when you were so sick, and you look like you’re truly happy.”

Esther nodded.  “I am.  I’ve been married to two good men in my life.  I don’t know many women who can say that.”

Harriett shook her head.  “I don’t either.  I’m glad you found love.”

Esther blushed.  “Am I that obvious?  I only realized I loved him yesterday morning.”

Harriett laughed.  “You’re obvious to me.  Of course, when I met you your grief was so bad I wanted to wrap you up in cotton.  Kansas agrees with you.”

“I love it here.  Thomas’s brother and sister-in-law are close and we have two other families who are there if we need them.  It’s a wonderful place for me to be.”

“I’m so happy for you.”

“When are you getting married?”

Harriett shrugged.  “I was supposed to be there two months ago, but Higgins was too sick to travel and I’m not going into a new marriage without taking him along.”

Esther frowned.  “You could find another butler there, couldn’t you?”

“Not one who is as loyal as Higgins.”

“Is he okay now?”

Harriett nodded.  “He is.  And my new husband is waiting for me.  He wrote back that he’d wait, but not to take forever.  I think he was really annoyed that I wouldn’t leave without my butler, but he’ll live.”

Esther looked around.  “Where is Higgins?”

“He left before me.  He wanted to have a week to learn the Seattle area before I joined him there.”  Harriett smiled as Thomas climbed onto the seat beside Esther.

“He’s very protective of you.”

“Yes, he is.” 

Esther waited for Harriett to say more, but when she didn’t, Esther asked, “Are you hungry?  I made a picnic for us for the way home.”

Harriett smiled.  “That sounds wonderful.  After sandwiches for four days on the train, I’ll be thrilled to have a home-cooked meal.”

“We’ll stop once we’re out of town, then.  There’s a nice little spot with trees where I vomited right after Thomas and I married.”  Esther grinned at the look on Harriett’s face.

“You wrote the trip here was bad for your morning sickness.  That’s over now?”

“Thank God.  I don’t think I’d have lived through another month of that nonsense.”

Thomas looked around Esther to add, “She was skin and bones when she got here.  I wasn’t sure she’d make it through the night.”

Esther shrugged.  “It was over the day after I arrived.  I was so happy to suddenly have my appetite back.”  She grinned.  “I thought Thomas was going to fall over when I started out-eating him at every meal.  He thought I had the appetite of a bird when I first arrived.”

Harriett laughed, enjoying the happiness she could see on her friend’s face.  She hoped when she had the same luck when she reached Washington.

By the time they’d arrived at the homestead, all of Harriett’s fears for her friend had been allayed.  She watched as Thomas lifted her down from the wagon and saw the look of love on his face, and knew she’d done a very good job with the two of them.  She hoped they were still as happy when she dropped the bomb she had to give them.

After dinner that evening, when they were all sitting around talking, Harriett brought up the primary reason for her visit.  Yes, she’d been concerned about Esther and had wanted to see with her own eyes that her friend was getting along well, but she had bad news to give her.  “Your mother was talking to a friend of hers about how excited she was about the baby you’re carrying, and how she was disappointed that she’d probably never get to see the baby because you were living in Kansas now.”

Esther nodded.  She knew her mother was extremely excited about the baby.  It was her first grandchild, so it was to be expected.  She wrote her mother every week.  “I’m glad she’s excited.”

“Well, they were talking about it in the mercantile, and they didn’t see who was standing behind them.”

Esther felt her heart drop into her stomach.  “Mrs. Perry?”

Harriett nodded.  “She demanded to know where in Kansas you were.  Your mother just said, ‘In the wilderness somewhere.’”

“And now she’s trying to find me.”

“I’m worried that’s the case.  Your mother told me because she wanted you to know.  I thought it would be easier if you found out in person.”  Harriett squeezed her friend’s hand.  “I’m sorry to have to tell you.”

“Does she know the baby is Charlie’s?”

Harriett shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I think she’s assumed that it is.  She’s been asking all of your old friends about you, trying to find out where you are.  She’s been to your parents’ house a dozen times trying to pry information out of your mother and your younger siblings.”

Esther’s hands covered the mound that her child made in her stomach.  “She’s not taking my baby.”

Thomas, who had been sitting at the table cleaning his rifle, and pretending not to notice the conversation going on around him, looked up.  “The old witch is not getting her hands on our child.”  The words were spoken softly, but vehemently.  If he drew breath, she would not take their child.

Harriett looked at him in surprise, thrilled to see that he thought of the baby as his own already.  “It’s better that you know so you can be prepared.”

Thomas nodded.  “When I’m working away from the house, you’ll need to spend your days with Victoria.”

Esther sighed.  “I can’t do the work I need to do at Victoria’s house!”

Thomas made a face.  “How about if you spend one day working at her house with her, and she spends the next here with you?  That way you both get all your work done, because you have double the hands every day.”

Esther knew there was no arguing with him.  She didn’t care to fight in front of Harriett.  She would rather learn to use a rifle and defend herself, but she didn’t dare say so right then.

She turned back to Harriett.  “Thanks for letting us know.”

Harriett nodded.  “It’s part of the reason I came to see you.  I didn’t want to tell you in a letter.”  She stood and yawned discreetly.  “I think I’m going to make my way upstairs for the night.”  She smiled at Esther.  “I assume we’ll be eating breakfast before the rooster crows?”

Esther nodded with a grin.  “Of course.  You’re staying in the country, Harriett.”

“I’ll be happy to return to the city and my sleeping late.”  She turned and headed up the stairs, and Esther waited to talk until she could hear the door of the nursery close from upstairs.

“I want you to teach me to use a rifle so I can protect myself and the baby.  I don’t want to have to spend all my days with Victoria.”  She liked her sister-in-law, but she didn’t need to be with her every single day.

Thomas shook his head.  “I don’t want you shooting in your condition.  It wouldn’t be good for you.”

“I need to be able to protect myself.”

“No, you don’t.  It’s my job to protect you.”  Thomas crossed his arms over his chest, making it clear he wasn’t backing down.

“But you’re going to send me to your brother’s so your sister-in-law can protect me.  How is that right?”

He sighed.  “I just want you safe, and I don’t want you risking the baby by shooting.”

“How about a handgun?  Could you teach me to shoot a handgun?  Would that be better?”

He studied her.  “You’re not going to go to Victoria’s, are you?”

She shook her head.  “I have to be able to be independent.  Once the baby is here, I can’t be going back and forth every day.  It’ll be too cold.”

“MaryAnn could come and stay again…”

Esther glared at Thomas.  “MaryAnn is ten years old!  There’s no way I’m going to let her learn to shoot a gun to protect me.  It’s not happening!”

Thomas sighed.  He knew she was right, but he hated the idea.  “Okay.  As soon as Harriett is on her way, I’ll teach you to shoot a handgun.  No rifles, though.”

“I don’t care what I learn to shoot.  I really don’t!  Just so I can protect my baby.”

He stood up and put his rifle back on the wall where it belonged.  He’d keep his rifle with him at all times now, knowing that someone could be coming at any time for her.  “Are you ready for bed?”

She nodded and they climbed the stairs together, clinging to each other in the dark.  She was afraid, but thanks to Harriett, she knew danger was coming and she would be ready for it.

She fell asleep wrapped in her husband’s arms, not realizing he’d spend the night lying awake staring at the ceiling.

Chapter Nine

Esther hated watching Harriett go, but she was thrilled her friend was moving on with her life, and not staying locked in her house in Beckham any longer.  She hugged Harriett tightly outside the train station.  “I’m going to miss you, but I’m so glad you’re getting married.”

Harriett laughed.  “I’m getting married as long as he’ll still have me with as late as I’ve been.”

Esther shook his head.  “He’s going to take one look at you and know that no other woman could ever compare.”

“I certainly hope so!”  They hugged one last time before Harriett headed for the train.  She truly hoped her friend’s second marriage was better than her first.

While they were in town, Thomas took her to the mercantile and let her choose from the small display of guns they had.  She gripped several in her hands, before choosing a six-shooter.  “This one.”  She handed it to Thomas, who looked it over and then bought ammunition.  He bought enough for her to practice with and still have some left over for protection.  If they needed more, he’d have the next person to go into town buy it for them.

By the time they arrived home, it was too late to practice, but as soon as she’d finished the breakfast dishes the following morning, he had her outside in front of a small target he’d made.  From that day forward they spent an hour every morning in target practice before he went out to the fields and she began her work.

It was mid-December before he declared her a good shot, and let her stop practicing daily.  She wasn’t sure if he really felt she was good enough, or if he was worried about how huge she was as she tried to shoot. 

When it was his turn to go to town, he dropped her off at Victoria’s house so she wouldn’t be alone.  “She’s too close to her time to make the drive comfortably,” he explained.  “And I don’t want her home alone all day while I’m gone.”

Victoria smiled at Esther.  “We’ll be just fine.” 

Esther spent the day sitting in a rocking chair and being waited on by Victoria and MaryAnn while the other children played inside.  It was too cold out for them to spend a long time outside.

Esther knitted a scarf and hat for Thomas for Christmas while she sat.  “I hope this baby comes soon,” Esther sighed.

Victoria smiled.  “I don’t think you have much longer.  Probably just another month at most.”

“Good.  I don’t think I can handle much longer than that.  It’s getting hard to move around.”

“I know.  The last month is always the hardest.  Do you need MaryAnn to come stay with you?”

Esther shook her head.  She’d have loved the help, but she wanted to remain active.  She also didn’t want the girl to be in any danger by being in her house when Charlie’s mother arrived.  She didn’t think Mrs. Perry would hurt a child, but she hadn’t expected her to slap her, either.  “No, but thank you.” 

It was already dark by the time Thomas got back from the city.  They ate the dinner Victoria had prepared before they headed back to their own homestead.  She was relieved to be able to climb into the wagon next to Thomas for the short drive home.  “Are you tired?” he asked kindly.

“Exhausted.”  There was something in the back of the wagon covered by a sheet, but she didn’t ask what it was.  She knew he was planning a special surprise for Christmas, and she wouldn’t try to ruin it.  She’d finished the scarf and hat for him and had it tucked into her coat so he wouldn’t see it.

She was excited about their first Christmas together, and the baby following soon.  They still watched warily for any intruders, but so far everything had been fine. 

The next day was Christmas Eve and other than the chores that had to be done, they were both planning on spending their day together.  She would cook and clean up after the meals, and he would milk the cows, but for the most part, they could spend the whole day together. 

Esther woke early to make him his favorite breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon.  She rarely made all three things but felt like a Christmas indulgence was in order.  They’d spend Christmas Eve alone and exchange gifts before bed, and then go to his brother’s house the following morning for the day, spending it with the children. 

They’d worked together to come up with gifts for his nieces and nephews, and Esther was excited to be able to share them.

After breakfast, they spent the day quietly talking and making plans for their future.  Esther was close enough to delivering that almost everything was painful for her, her back aching constantly.  When it came time for lunch, he made them both sandwiches and served her in her rocking chair. 

“What were your Christmas traditions at home?” he asked as they ate their simple meal.

She shrugged.  Her traditions had seemed so normal to her that it was hard to answer.  “We would wake early to presents in our Christmas stockings, and then gather around in the dining room, which was the only room big enough for all of us, and we would open our presents from each other.”

“What would you get in your stockings?”

She smiled.  “We usually each got a penny and an orange, and then Mama would give us each something that was suited to use personally.  The boys would get tiny soldiers or train engines carved from wood by our father, and we girls would get pretty handkerchiefs with tatted lace on the outside.  Two years ago Charlie gave Mama a small pendant to put in my stocking for me.”  She was wearing the pendant and traced it with her index finger.

The motion wasn’t lost on Thomas and he sighed, realizing he’d never have her love the way Charlie did.  “It’s pretty.”

She nodded.  “We had just become engaged, but were waiting until the following December to marry, so it was special to me.  It matched my engagement ring.”

His eyes went to her finger and he realized he’d never seen her wear a ring other than the one he’d put on her finger.  “Where’s your engagement ring?”

Her eyes met his.  “I had to sell it before I left Beckham.  There just wasn’t enough money from the eggs I sold, so I sold the ring and the horse who killed Charlie for the things I needed.”

“I’m sorry.”  Thomas was surprised that he was sorry she’d had to sell the ring.  It would have been special to her.  “I’m glad you kept the pendant.”

“For some reason this was always more special to me anyway.  The ring was something he felt like he had to give me, but this pendant was something he saw and it made him think of me.  That made it so much more special.”

“Would you rather wait and open presents on Christmas morning?” he asked, not wanting to mess up her normal Christmas traditions.

She shook her head.  “Christmas morning is for children.  We don’t have any.  I’d rather open our presents for each other tonight, and then tomorrow morning, watch as your nephews and nieces open theirs.”

“Okay.  I just want your Christmas to be perfect.”

She smiled and took his hand.  “My Christmas will be perfect because I’m with you.  You make every day very special.”

He stared at her, a lump forming in his throat.  Did she really feel that way, or was she just saying it to make him feel better?  Surely she knew he loved her, but he’d never had the courage to say the words.  What would she do if he said them, then?  He brought her fingers to his lips, but didn’t say the words.  How could he?  She was too pretty to love a man like him.  He was just glad that she was so affectionate toward him.

When they opened their presents that evening, her eyes grew wide at the shelf he’d built.  She’d expected a gift for the baby, but instead, he’d made her a shelf to keep books and special mementos on.  It was a corner shelf that would go perfectly in their main room.  Tears sprang to her eyes as she touched it.

She gave him his gift, a new scarf and hat for the cold winter months when he was checking on his wheat.  He pulled them on and exclaimed over how much he loved them, and how warm they’d keep him.  “It’s the perfect gift for a farmer growing winter wheat.”  He glanced at her, sitting in her rocking chair.  “Wait right there now.  I have one more gift.”

“But I only got you one!” she protested.

His brown eyes twinkled as he headed for the door.  “That’s okay.  Wait.”

She sat waiting patiently for the second gift whatever it was.  She couldn’t imagine what else he would get her after the beautiful shelf.  They didn’t need any more furniture, but if he kept it in the barn, that’s what it must be.  Her brow furrowed as she tried to guess.

The door opened and he brought in a huge package wrapped in brown paper with a pretty red ribbon tying it on tightly.  He brought it to her and set it on the floor at her feet.  She smiled up at him as she carefully untied the pretty red bow, folding the paper as she removed it, automatically thinking about how she could use it. 

Under the paper was a rocking horse, complete with a mane and tail made of yarn.  He’d used the stain he’d told her he had left over from the rocking chairs and her hand stroked over the beautiful wood.  “It’s perfect.”  Her eyes met his and she had tears in hers.  “Thank you.”

“It wasn’t supposed to make you cry!”

She sniffled.  “It just means so much to me that you’ve accepted the baby as your own.”

He knelt beside her, holding her hand in his.  “How could I not accept the baby as my own when I love its mother so much?”

Her eyes met his and the tears flowed faster.  “Do you mean it?”

He nodded.  He hadn’t meant to tell her, but he meant it with all his heart.  “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”

Her face lit up.  “I love you, too.  So much.”

He shook his head.  “You can’t love me.  You’re much too pretty to love a man like me.”

She shook her head violently.  “I do love you.  I’ve known it for a long time.  At first, I felt guilty for loving you, like I was betraying Charlie somehow, but then I realized that Charlie would have wanted me to find love again.  He would have wanted his baby to grow up with a father who loved him.  You’re giving him everything he would have wanted for me and our child by taking us in and loving us.”

Thomas stared into her eyes.  “You mean it, don’t you?”

She nodded.  “Of course I mean it!  How could I not love you?  You’re a good, loving man.  I’m so happy I answered your advertisement and decided to spend forever with you.”

He gathered her close, feeling an outpouring of love for her.  How could someone so precious love him?  He wasn’t sure, but he could only hope she never stopped.

*****

Christmas with Samuel and Victoria’s family was an adventure.  The children were thrilled with every single gift they received.  Thomas had made a set of ten tiny little soldiers for each of the four boys, painting them red, green, yellow, and blue so the boys would be able to tell them apart.  Esther gave each of the girls drawstring purses with handkerchiefs she’d carefully tatted lace for. 

Victoria had made each of them a new coat, and Samuel had given each child a shiny nickel to spend however they pleased.  Being able to give each child that much was a mark of how well the harvest had gone for them that year.

For Esther, Victoria had knitted a special shawl to use while she nursed the baby at church to make it easier for her to do it while staying concealed.  She had made Thomas a set of gloves matching the hat and scarf Esther had made him.  The two women had worked out the gifts more than a month before. 

Samuel had made Esther a small box to put the baby’s keepsakes into.  Victoria had a similar box for each of her children that included things like the first pair of shoes each child had worn and the first dress for the girls and first outfit for the boys.  Each of their baby teeth was included in the box.  Esther smiled and thanked them both, treasuring the special things they’d made for her child.

Victoria had fixed a huge turkey dinner with all of the trimmings for their meal including mashed potatoes, a special sage dressing that her mother had taught her to make, dinner rolls and gravy.

Esther thanked her profusely for all her work to make a special meal.  “I’m not certain I could have done it this late in my pregnancy.”  She’d made an apple pie but that was her only contribution for the meal. 

Victoria had waved away her thanks.  “I’m sure there will be a time when you’ll need to be the one fixing special meals, and I know you’ll do it with a smile.”

After dinner the children played with their new toys, including a toboggan Samuel had made for them.  Because the prairie was flat, the two men took turns pulling the children around, and the women watched from the window, enjoying the sounds of the high pitched squeals.

“I’m getting nervous about the birth,” Esther admitted to her friend.

“I’d be surprised if you weren’t, this being your first pregnancy and all.”  Victoria smiled over her shoulder from where she was washing dishes and MaryAnn was drying them.  Esther had tried to help, but they’d insisted she sit and rest to save her strength.  “I’d attended fifteen births before MaryAnn was born, and I was shaking like a leaf in my last month.”

“It’s strange that I’m so nervous about it, but so anxious for it to be over at the same time.  I think I’m losing my mind.”

“It makes sense, though.  You’re nervous because you’ve never done it before so it’s an unknown, but you want it to be over because you’re so uncomfortable in the last month.  It’ll be here soon, and then you’ll have a sweet baby to hold in your arms.”  Victoria methodically washed the dishes handing them to MaryAnn one by one.   “I’m sending MaryAnn home with you today.”