The Rancher's Mail Order Bride (Dalton Brides Book 1) Read online

  "Forgive him, Gwen. He's a good man. Why would you allow your marriage to suffer for a simple mistake?" Libby added.

  "A man not knowing his own wife's name after a week of marriage is not a simple mistake. But all right. I'll think on it some more."

  The sisters were baking a cake when they heard horses out front again. Gwen threw the door open without looking this time, knowing it would be Lela Mason once again. "What do you want?" she asked rudely.

  Lela slowly climbed down from her seat behind the horse. "I came to tell you I lied to you. Walton was the kindest man who ever came into the saloon where I worked. I hoped I could come here, and he'd marry me just to help me out. When I realized he was married, I should have just left, but I had built it up so far in my head that I was certain he needed to help me. I'm sorry."

  Gwen frowned. "So he's not the father?"

  Lela shook her head. "Walt never needed to pay for the girls in the saloon. We all wished he would, but he never did." A tear escaped her eye. "I got fired as soon as the owner of the saloon I worked in found out I was expecting. I just needed somewhere to go."

  "You drove all the way to Texas hoping he'd marry you?" Gwen shook her head. Walt sure did make an impression on people.

  "I took a train. I have money saved up. It's not much, but it was enough for a train ticket and some money for living expenses." Lela shook her head. "I need to figure out what I'm going to do. I don't want to be living my old lifestyle with a baby."

  Gwen's heart went out to the other woman. "I don't blame you for that at all. You should go to church with us on Sunday. I'm sure one of the cowboys would be happy to marry you, even knowing your, err, colorful past."

  Lela laughed. "I'm not sure that colorful is the word you're looking for, Mrs. Dalton."

  Walt rode up on his horse and dismounted. He eyed Gwen warily. The last time she'd talked to Lela she'd dumped milk over his head. "Is everything settled?"

  Gwen nodded slowly. She did love him, and forgiving him was the Christian thing to do. "I think so."

  He walked to her and hugged her close. "You'll come home to me, Gwen?" He used her name deliberately, so she'd know he hadn't forgotten.

  "Yes, I will. I'll get my bag from Bonnie's before supper." It was already late afternoon. The trip to Weatherford was a long one, though it was shorter on horseback than it was in a wagon. She smiled up at him. "Thank you for finally learning my name."

  He shook his head. "I've always been terrible with names. I should have learned yours weeks ago."

  "Yes, you really should have. I forgive you, though." She looked over his shoulder at Lela. "Won't you stay for tea, Miss Mason?"

  Lela looked startled. "I'd be happy to."

  Walt pulled away and pulled a letter from his pocket. "A letter for you from a Miss Edna Blue. I take it she's kin?"

  Gwen took the letter from him with a smile. "She's my aunt." Gwen had never actually met her Aunt Edna, but they'd struck up a correspondence years ago when her father had been complaining about his eccentric sister. Gwen had thought she sounded fun, so she had written to her. "Thank you."

  Walt nodded. "Will you make me a sandwich? I've lost half a day of work already, and I'd rather eat out on the range."

  "I'd be happy to." Gwen hurried into the house and fixed him two bacon sandwiches, which she wrapped in paper. She came back out with them, seeing her sisters talking to Lela as if she were an old friend. They really did need to find her a husband. But who did they know who wouldn't mind marrying a former woman of the night?

  After Walt rode off, Gwen looked at Bonnie. "Would you fix lunch for us all? I want to read Aunt Edna's letter."

  "Yes, of course." Bonnie hurried to the stove to cook lunch while Libby stayed outside to talk to Lela.

  Gwen went into the house and sat at the table, opening her letter with glee. Aunt Edna's letter were always a joy to read.

  "My dear Gwen,

  I'm happy to hear you're safe and in a better situation now. My brother needs some help when it comes to parenting, I see. He should never have locked you in your room. What utter nonsense that a rumor was started about you, and you were punished for it. That tramp Gertie needs to have a switch taken to her bottom.

  So you're a married woman now? I think that's wonderful. I almost married once, but alas, my one true love died. I'm certain it was my fault. You see, we were in the woods one afternoon about a month before the wedding, and we had decided we were tired of waiting. So there I was, lying naked in his arms, and he had a heart attack right on top of me! Never fear, though. I'm still a virgin. We didn't have time to complete the act before he died. How I wish we had. I'm certain it was God's way of punishing me for agreeing to do something I oughtn't.

  You'll need to let me know what you think of Texas. I'd love to come to visit you sometime, once the first bloom of love has worn off. No one needs to hear the sounds newlyweds make during the night.

  Your husband's name is Walton Dalton? That's terribly unfortunate. I do hope you can talk him into just using his initials or something. No woman should be forced to have a husband named Walton Dalton. Who would do that to a child, I ask you?

  My life is the same as always. Day in and day out I make hats. Ever since Papa died life has been so lonely. Maybe someday things will change. I hope to retire soon and see the world. I'm almost sixty years old now. If I'm going to do it, I need to do it soon.

  All my love,

  Edna"

  Gwen found herself chuckling repeatedly as she read the missive. She hoped to meet Aunt Edna in person sometime soon. Maybe when her aunt retired, she would make the trip to Texas to see them. She'd be welcomed with open arms.

  Chapter Nine

  Lela was handy with a needle, so the sisters put her to work helping make the curtains that afternoon. They talked while they worked, trying to come up with an idea to help Lela.

  "Maybe you could start a sewing business?" Libby suggested. "With as many bachelors as there are around here, I'm sure someone to do their mending and make clothes for them would be welcome."

  Lela thought about it for a moment. "You know, that's really not a bad idea. I enjoy sewing, and I would be able to have my baby with me all the time."

  "You'd have time to meet the men around here and decide which one suits your fancy if any. There are some men at church who seem nice enough," Gwen added.

  "Just make sure you're honest with whomever you choose," Bonnie said. "I'd hate for a man to marry you only to be upset that you once had a less than desirable lifestyle."

  Lela laughed. "You girls sure have some interesting ways of avoiding saying I was a whore."

  All three sisters blushed at Lela's candidness. None of them had ever been around anyone who spoke that way. Gwen suddenly let out a giggle.

  "What's wrong with you, Gwen?" Libby asked.

  "Oh, I was just thinking about how Mama would react if she knew we'd run away to Texas and were sitting in my new house entertaining a former whore."

  Bonnie covered her mouth with her hand as she started giggling too. "She'd have an apoplectic fit!"

  Libby shook her head. "We'd be hauled back to Massachusetts and forced to marry those lecherous old men for certain."

  Lela looked between them. "Forced to marry lecherous old men?"

  Bonnie quickly told the story that had brought them to Texas, conveniently leaving out the scandal and Gwen's incarceration.

  Gwen looked at her sister admiringly. She'd told enough of the story that the other woman would understand without going into details that Gwen didn't want known. She was amazed at her sister's skill with words.

  Lela shook her head. "That's awful. No young lady should ever have to marry a lecherous old man." She shuddered. "I've had enough of them touching me that I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

  Gwen frowned. "Would you tell us how you happened upon your former vocation? If the question's not too personal, of course."

  All three sisters watched Lela. They probably woul
dn't have the opportunity to speak with a former prostitute this way ever again, so they were going to make the most of it.

  Lela obviously loved having an audience. "Well, it started out simply. I was an orphan and put on an orphan train headed West in 1869. I was only twelve at the time. When I got off the train with the other orphans in St. Louis, I was chosen by a couple who hadn't been able to have children of their own. The woman was wonderful to me and became the mother I'd always dreamed of having. The man...he was something else entirely. He came to my bed every night and forced himself on me." She shook her head. "I left when I was sixteen. I was certain I would be able to find work doing something respectable. I was wrong. Within two months I was starving, and I walked past a saloon. The bartender took one look at me and asked if I needed work. I said 'yes' immediately, because any work was better than starving. I didn't know what he wanted me to do until I got my first customer. I always knew I'd get out, though. I started saving from that first night. I worked there for over ten years, saving every single dime I made. I knew I'd either get too old to work there or something would happen."

  "I just can't imagine," Gwen said. "Did it bother you?"

  "Of course it did. I spent the first twelve years of my life in an orphanage run by the good Catholic sisters. I believed that enjoying relations with my husband was wrong, and I was having relations with several men every night. I felt, and still feel, like I'm going to burn in hell. But what choice did I have?" A tear drifted down Lela's cheek, but she brushed it away. "I am what I am. I did what I did. I can't change any of it."

  Gwen shook her head. "No, you really can't." She reached out and took Lela's hand in hers. "You don't have to go back to that, you know. We'll help you set up a seamstress shop. There's got to be a place in Wiggieville for you to live."

  "Wiggieville? I've been staying in Weatherford."

  "Wiggieville is a small town only an hour's drive from here. We'll find someone who will let you board with them. Maybe you can sell shirts out of the mercantile there. The owner is really nice." Bonnie leaned forward excitedly as she made the suggestion.

  "Yes, we need to find you a place in Wiggieville," Libby agreed. "We can meet you there tomorrow morning and help you get settled if you'd like."

  Lela tilted her head to one side. "I think that's a really good idea. Yes, let's do it. Then I can accept a man or not. Whatever I want to do. Will people buy clothes from a whore though?"

  "Former whore," Gwen reminded her. "I don't see why you have to tell everyone you were a whore. Just say the father of the baby is no longer with us. He's not. He couldn't possibly be in Texas, could he?"

  Lela laughed. "I like the way you think, Mrs. Dalton." She got to her feet, putting the finished curtain on the table. "I need to head back to town. I don't want to be out driving alone after dark."

  Gwen followed her out to her buggy, hugging her. "I never thought I'd count a former lady of the evening as one of my friends. I'm glad to be able to say I was wrong."

  "So am I," Lela said, hugging her back. "I'll see you in town in the morning. Around nine?"

  "Yes. I'm sure anyone can give you directions to Wiggieville." Gwen stepped back and looked at the horse and buggy. "Are these rented?"

  "Yes, but I can drive them to Wiggieville. If I decide to move here, I'm certain it won't be a problem to get there after returning the horse."

  "There's a stagecoach," Gwen told her.

  "Oh good. That will make things simple then."

  Gwen watched as the other woman climbed nimbly into the buggy. She hoped she would be able to move so easily when she was six months pregnant. She raised her hand to wave goodbye as the other woman drove away. It was so nice to make new friends.

  *****

  Over dinner that evening, Gwen related what they'd decided to do to Walt.

  Walt shook his head. "Are you serious? She came here, lied to you, caused a fight between us, and you're going to help her find work and settle in the area? Who does that?"

  "I do apparently. She's such a nice lady that I hate the thought of her being alone and pregnant. I hope she can get enough work to sustain her and the baby once her savings run out."

  "A nice lady. She's a whore!" Walton couldn't believe his ears.

  "No, she's not. She's a former whore. And she's my new friend, so I'll thank you not to speak of her that way."

  "I'm not going to be able to convince you not to help her, am I?"

  Gwen grinned at him. "No, you're not." She toyed with her potatoes for a moment. "Do you mind hitching up the wagon for us in the morning? I'd do it myself, but I don't know how."

  "And if I refuse?"

  She shrugged. "I'm not stupid. I can figure it out for myself."

  For a moment, he sat staring at her stunned. Just a few weeks before she had been uncertain about how to get water from a well, and he'd had to show her. Now she was certain she could hitch up a team of horses on her own. "I'll do it," he said finally. "I don't know why you're so determined to help her, but I'll do it."

  "Oh, thank you." She smiled her best smile, the one that had once had men begging for her affections.

  Walt frowned. "You won't get around me that way, you know."

  "Oh, I know that. I just like to smile at you." She reached across the table and took his hand in hers. "I'm sorry I dumped milk over your head."

  "I thought I married this biddable young lady. I guess I was wrong."

  "Oh, I've never been that. Young lady, yes. Biddable? My mother wishes I was."

  *****

  They found Lela a boarding house to live in the following morning. She didn't say what had happened to the baby's father and the tired looking woman who ran the house didn't ask. "It'll be an extra fifty cents a month once the baby is here."

  The woman had introduced herself as Mrs. Rogers. She said she was a widow, and kept a clean home. She was in her mid-fifties with gray hair and sad brown eyes. Gwen's heart went out to her automatically.

  Lela nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem. I'm looking to start doing some sewing for folks in the area. Would you know of anyone who needs that kind of help?"

  "Oh, plenty round here need help with sewing and mending. We'll make up a letter to post on the bulletin board at the mercantile. You'll have more work than you can handle in no time."

  "Oh, thank you, Mrs. Rogers." Lela looked at Gwen. "I'll be back later tonight or first thing tomorrow. I have to see when the stagecoach runs."

  "That sounds just fine. Just let me know when you get back and I'll give you a key."

  As they left, Lela was practically dancing. "It's going to work!"

  Gwen smiled. "Our plans always work," she said. She and her sisters had come up with more than their share of plans over the years. Of course none of them had been to help a former-prostitute.

  "Thank you. All of you! I can't believe I'm finally going to be respectable."

  Gwen hugged Lela goodbye. "We'll see you at church on Sunday, right?"

  "Oh, I don't know about that," Lela told her. "I'd be afraid that the church would be struck by lightning. I wouldn't want to be responsible for all those deaths."

  Bonnie smiled. "Don't you worry about that. Jesus ministered to prostitutes."

  "You girls help me look at things so differently. Thanks again," she said as she climbed into her buggy. "I'll see you on Sunday, but if the church burns down it's your fault not mine."

  "We'll happily take the blame," Libby said with a grin.

  They went to the mercantile to mail the letter Gwen had written to Aunt Edna before heading back to the ranch. "Thanksgiving is coming up," Bonnie said. "Are you all right with hosting that, Libby?"

  "I'll make the mashed potatoes," Gwen offered.

  "I'll make the turkey," Bonnie replied. "If Bart's home in time to kill one for me that is."

  "When do you expect him back?" Gwen asked.

  Bonnie shrugged. "He wasn't certain. Soon, I hope."

  Gwen was glad that it was Bart's job t
o go on the business trips and not Walt's. She'd have hated having to give her husband up so often. Bonnie didn't seem to like it, but she handled it better than Gwen would have.

  Chapter Ten

  Gwen and her sisters had been in Texas for about two months when she realized something was wrong. She and her sisters had always had their monthlies together, and she hadn't had one since they'd been there while her sisters had bled twice. The first time, she hadn't been terribly concerned about. When it happened again, she decided to talk to Bonnie about it.

  Bart was off on another business trip, so she went over immediately after breakfast. The sisters still got together every afternoon, but they no longer needed as much instruction, so they all tended to stay home and do their own housework in the mornings.

  She knocked on the door and waited patiently, shivering slightly. It was chilly, not cold enough for snow, but she should have brought her shawl.

  Bonnie opened the door wide. "What's wrong, Gwen?"

  Gwen sighed, taking a seat at the table. "I'm really not sure, but something is. I haven't had a cycle since we've come to Texas, and the new dress you made me doesn't fit any longer. The old ones do, but that's because I lost so much weight before we left home."

  Bonnie smiled. "Gwenny, don't you know that women miss their cycles when they're carrying?"

  Gwen stared at her sister for a moment before swallowing hard. "You mean...You think I'm going to have a baby?" The only pregnant woman she'd ever been around was Lela, and they hadn't talked about things of a personal nature. She found that when Lela started talking, she said way too much for her.

  "I do." Bonnie pulled up the other chair and sat beside her sister, reaching out to take hold of her hand. "I'm so happy for you!"

  Gwen sat back, stunned beyond belief. Yes, she'd known that she could get pregnant now that she was married, but she hadn't thought too much about it. She'd been too busy trying to learn to cook and keep the house properly. Did she even want a baby yet?