The Widow Finds Love (Mail Order Bride Series) (5 page)

“Papa, we need to go.  Today is the day.  Come on Papa, we can’t be late,” Cassie Thomas pleaded with her father to hurry. 

“We won’t be late, Honey, I promise,” her father said.

“What if the stage is early, Papa?  They might not like us if we’re not there when they come in.”

“Okay, we’ll go on in,” he said.  “We can wait in the café until the stage gets there.  Get your bonnet, and I’ll hitch up the horse.”

“Please hurry, Papa.

“Okay, sweetheart.  Ten minutes and we’ll be on the road,” he promised.

There was no sign of the stage when they stopped in front of the hotel.  “We’re safe,” he said.  “They’re not here yet.”

“Good,” his daughter said.

“Cassie, it’s going to be okay.  They’re going to love you.  After all, you’re a beautiful girl and you have good manners.  You wait,” he said.

“I hope so.”

“Let’s go inside and wait in the café, out of the sun,” he said.

They sat by the window so Cassie could watch for the stage.  “I wish it would hurry and get here,” she said.  “I think it’s coming, Papa, let’s go back outside.”

“We’ll see it from here when it comes past the livery stable honey.  We won’t miss it.”

Another twenty minutes passed.  “I hope it didn’t break,” Cassie said.

Another ten minutes.  “There it is, Papa.  I see it.”  She jumped up and tugged at her father’s hand.  “Come on, Papa.”

A big cloud of dust, stirred up by the hooves of the six horses and the four stage coach wheels hung over the street as the stage was braked to a stop by the yelling driver.  He stepped down and opened the door to the coach.  A drummer climbed out and headed for the saloon.  The driver reached up and took the hand of the disheveled woman, and helped her to the ground.  He then  turned and lifted the small girl from the coach. 

Clint stepped forward, with Cassie right by his side.  “Sarah?”

In a soft voice, the lady said, “Yes, I’m Sarah Hutchison.  Are you Clint?”

“I’m Clint and this is Cassie.  She’s been hopping around like crazy waiting for the stage to get here.”

“Papa!” the embarrassed girl exclaimed.

“Sarah knelt down and said, “Cassie, I am so glad to finally meet you.  Your father has written so many nice things about you.

“This is my daughter, Rebecca.  Sometimes she’s Becky, but usually Rebecca,  She’s been anxious to meet you too.”

She stood, and took Clint’s hand.  In her soft musical voice, she said, “I’ve been anxious to meet you too.”

“It is my pleasure,” he said.  “I’ve enjoyed your letters and it’s good to have a face to go with them. 

“We’re about thirty to forty minutes from my sister’s farm.  Would you like to freshen up, or walk around before we go?” he asked.

“We’re going to your sister’s?” she asked.   “I thought we would go to your place.”

“Suzy thought you might want to stay at her place until we can get to know each other a bit more,” he said.

“That’s very thoughtful of her.  Do you think it’s necessary?” she asked.

“I just want you to be comfortable and I don’t want to rush you.  Let me get your bag and I’ll load it into the wagon and we can talk,” he said.

Cassie took Rebecca’s hand and they fell in behind Clint as they walked toward the livery stable where he had left the horse and wagon.

As they walked, Cassie was pointing out the general store and the church down the street.  “You’ll like it here, Becky.  I know you will.  You’re going to share my room so you won’t be afraid.  It’s a nice room.  My Mama fixed it up really nice, but she died.”

“Listen to them,” Sarah said.  “Children are wonderful.  Rebecca hasn’t had anyone to play with or talk to except for me and my parents.  There weren’t any children around, except when we went to church.”

“Cassie has worried herself sick about you coming,” he said.

“Well, for goodness sakes, why?” Sarah asked.

“She’s been wanting a mother for some time, asking me when and if.  I told her you and Rebecca were coming the
same day I got your letter.  I told her if you liked us, and decided to stay, we’d be married and you would be her mother, and Rebecca her sister.  She’s been afraid you might not like us and will go back home.”

“The poor thing.  Clint, I simply have to put her mind at ease.  Is there someplace we can sit and talk?”

“We can go to the café,” he said,  “Have you eaten?”

“We haven’t had a decent meal since we left home,” she said.  “The café will be fine.”

“Rebecca?” she asked, we’re going to stop at the café for a little while.  Would you like to have something to eat?”

“Yes, please, Mama,” Rebecca said.

Clint addressed her, “Rebecca, would you like for me to call you Rebecca or Becky?”

“I like Rebecca,” she said.

“Then Rebecca it is,” Clint said.  “Cassie and I eat here whenever we come to town.  I’m not a very good cook, so it’s a treat for us.”

“Mama’s a good cooker,” Rebecca said.

“I’ll bet she is,” he answered.

“Cassie, I need your help.  When we get to the farm, I’ll need your help finding things.  You probably know where everything is and it will be a big help if you show me,” Sarah said.

“I will.  I helped Aunt Suzy put things away so I know where they are,” Cassie said.

“I appreciate that.  Also, if you can help Rebecca too, it would be nice.  Back home, we had spiders and things and I taught her which things to leave alone.  If you can help with that too, it would be nice.”

“We have copperhead snakes that will bite you.  They hide in the flower beds and when you get the eggs, you have to be careful.”

“That sounds scary.  We had rattle snakes but they didn’t come close to the house.  I would worry about her picking copperheads up.”

“We have horny toads, but they won’t bite you,” Cassie said. 

“You are going to be a big help,” Sarah said.

“Are you going to stay and be my Mama?” Cassie asked.

“I hope so, if you and your Papa like us.  We want to stay.”

“I like you, and Papa does too.  I can tell.”

“How can you tell?” Sarah asked.

“He smiles when he looks at you.”

“Well, I know Rebecca likes you.  She’s never had a big sister and I think you are the nicest big girl I know,” Sarah said.

“You really think so?”

“Yes, I do,” Sarah said.

“Miss Sarah, could I call you Mama?” she asked.

“I would love it if you did,” Sarah said.

Sarah looked at Clint.  “Thank you,” he mouthed.

She gave him a smile that blew him away.

“Mama, are we going to stay?” asked Rebecca.

“Do you want to?” her mother asked.

Rebecca nodded emphatically.

“Then I guess Mr. Thomas and I need to talk,” Sarah said.

“Clint…”

“I think it’s easy to figure out where the kids stand on this, don’t you?” Clint asked Sarah. 

“Cassie has made it clear where she stands.  So has Rebecca as far as that goes,” Sarah said.

“I think we can make it work,” he said.  “I love the way you interacted with Cassie.  She wears her heart on her sleeve.”

“I agree with you.  All we have to do is figure the next step,” she said.

“I’ll take it,” he said.  “Sarah, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes, I will,” she said.  “What do we have to do?”

“We have to get a license at the courthouse.  After that, we can either have a preacher marry us or we can have a civil ceremony.  I  do have one request, though.”

“What is that?” she asked. 

“I would like to tell Suzy and Mama before hand.  I would like for them to be there.”

“That’s certainly reasonable.  I think I would like to be married in church, if that is all right with you.”

“Good enough.  Let’s get the license while we are in town,” he suggested. 

* * *

After obtaining the license, the four of them loaded into the wagon, and they set out for Suzy and Arthur Johnson’s farm.

When Clint drove the wagon into the yard, a dog materialized from somewhere and began barking loudly at the intruders into his domain.  The front door opened, and a pleasant looking young woman came out, wiping her hands on her apron. 

Clint gave Sarah a hand getting out of the wagon and lifted Rebecca from the rear of the wagon.  Cassie jumped down by herself.  “Aunt Suzy, they’re here!  This is my new sister and my new Mama.  Well, not yet, but she is getting married to Papa and then she will be my Mama.”

Clint made the introductions.“Sarah, this is my little sister, Suzy Johnson.  Suzy, Sarah Hutchison.”

Sarah took Suzy’s hand in both of hers, and said warmly, “I’m so glad to meet you.  Clint told me in his letters how much help you’ve been.  This is my daughter, Rebecca.  Rebecca, say hello to your Aunt Suzy.”

Moving into the protection of her mother’s skirt, Rebecca said softly, “Hello.”

Suzy put her at ease immediately.  “Has anyone told you how pretty you are?” she asked. 

Rebecca nodded.

“I’ll bet they have.”  Turning to Sarah she asked, “So, did you have the ceremony yet?”

“No, Clint wanted to wait so you and your husband could be there, and I agreed with him it should be that way,” Sarah said.

“Sometimes, my big brother shows some sense.  There’s hope for him after all,” she laughed.

“I wanted to be married in church, too,” Sarah said.  “We’re Baptists like you, by the way.”

“Would you like to stay with us until Sunday then?” Suzy asked.

“I appreciate the offer, but I would really like to get settled in as soon as possible.  Besides, I think Cassie might be afraid we’ll back out, Sarah said.

“Cassie is a little worry wart, but she is mature beyond her years,” Suzy said.

“I think she is darling.  She sees herself as Clint’s protector and worries about him.”

“Sis, I’m going to take Sarah in and introduce her to Mama.  Arthur’s out in the fields, I guess?”

“He’s out there somewhere.  I don’t know what he’s doing, but there’s always something.”

* * *

The woman in the bed was thin and frail looking, with a vacant look in her eyes.  “Ma, this is Sarah.  We are getting married Sunday.  Sarah, my mother, Thelma.  She’s been living with Suzy since her stroke, right after Thanksgiving.”

Sarah took her hand, careful not to squeeze it, afraid she might unwittingly inflict pain.  “Mrs. Thomas, I’m happy to meet you.  You can be proud of your children, and I just adore Cassie.” She saw a flicker of light briefly in her eyes at the mention of her children, as she continued to  gently rub the old woman’s hand.

After they left the room, Clint said, “It breaks my heart to see her this way.  She was always so full of life, and fun to be around.  She was hard to keep up with not too long ago.”

“I’m grateful both of my parents are still in good health.  I’ve been blessed to come from stock that is long lived.  Mama was always my best friend.  Papa is quiet, but he surprises me sometimes with his compassion.  I really dreaded telling him I was leaving Carolina, but he told me he thought it was best for both Rebecca and me, and he gave me his blessing.”

Are you about ready to go home?” he asked.

“I am.  I’m anxious to see the farm.  Should we have gone to the general store before leaving town?”

“I think we’ll be all right.  I laid in a store of canned goods, and Suzy always cans a lot more than they can use, and shares it.  Mama was a wonderful cook and Suzy learned most of her tricks.  Let’s round up the girls.  It’s only about ten or fifteen minutes to the house.

“Cassie, are you about ready to go?  Get Rebecca and let’s go home,” he said.

“We’re ready, Papa.  I’ll race you to the wagon, Rebecca.”

Rebecca won, but Cassie had held back to make sure.  Clint boosted both of them into the wagon and took Sarah’s hand to assist her.  He flicked the reins and the almost family headed home.  He allowed the horse to plod along as he pointed out where Arthur and Suzy’s property ended and his began.  The young cotton plants had broken through the soil and reached for the sun.

“Back home, our fields weren’t even planted when I left,” Sarah said.  You have a long growing season.  Can you get in two crops?” she asked. 

“I’ve never really tried to do that.  Getting it picked and to the gin is a lot of work.  When the railroad is finished, I might give it a try, he said.

“The railroad is coming through?” she asked. 

“It started a few years back, but stopped during the war.  Then the rails were torn up, bent and badly damaged, so until the government comes up with some money to finish it, I don’t think it’s going much of anywhere.  The line is supposed to run from Shreveport to Dallas.  It would give us a lot bigger market for the cotton and probably better prices, if the demand comes back.”