A Mid-Summer's Mail-Order Bride (16 page)

She stared at him in shock. Everyone did, including his brothers.

“That was a mighty kind thing to say to the gal, Daniel,” their mother told him. “I’m right proud of ya.”

“Just sayin’ what needed to be said, Ma. She looks scared.”

Bernice straightened. “I’m not scared,” she said nervously.

Benjamin and Calvin both leaned forward again at the sound of her voice. “Ya ain’t?” Calvin asked. “Ya ain’t scared to marry App … er, Warren?”

“Of course not, why should I be?” she asked.

“Then why ain’t ya married?” Benjamin asked.

“Oh good grief!” Bernice snapped. All the despair, the frustration of the last several weeks broke through like a bursting dam. “Because we both got sprayed by a family of skunks, that’s why! It’s darn deadly difficult to court when you stink to high heaven! This is the first chance I’ve had in weeks to even come to town without making people ill!”

The men, as one, gaped. Even Matthew Quinn’s jaw almost hit the counter.

“Satisfied?” Bernice growled.

After several seconds of silence … “well, that would explain it,” Benjamin (or Calvin) mumbled.

“Good.” She spun on her heel, headed for the door and flung it open –hitting Warren Johnson with it!

Sixteen

Warren grunted at the impact, stepped back, then stared at the three hulking forms behind Bernice, all standing there in shock like cigar-store Indians. His eyes widened in recognition.
The
Weaver clan!
What were they doing in town? More specifically, what had they been doing with Bernice? His temper flared at the thought, and he quickly stepped past her.

“Well, lookie here!” Calvin chortled. “If it ain’t Apple BoOOF!”

“Howdy, Warren,” Benjamin said as he removed his fist from his brother’s gut. “How ya been?”

Warren took a step back, practically shoving Bernice behind him. “Fine. And you?” He caught a glimpse of Matthew behind the counter, looking as if he couldn’t decide to come to his aid or not. He settled for pushing his glasses up his nose and watching.

“We was just talkin’ ‘bout ya,” Benjamin continued with a grin. “How’s your grandpa feelin’ these days? Good, I hope.”

Warren stared at him in disbelief. Other than the blow he’d delivered his brother – which he didn’t much mind; he’d always hated being called “Apple Boy” –
Benjamin was being downright polite. “He’s doing quite well, thank you.”

“Glad to hear it!” Mrs. Weaver said. “My, but you’ve grown up big and strong.”

Warren smiled. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“And I hear congratulations are in order?”

Warren felt his face flush. “Yes, ma’am.”

“We also heard why ya ain’t hitched yet!” Calvin laughed, then made a show of sniffing the air. “Well, ya smell fine to me now!”

Benjamin and Daniel caught the look from their mother, and stifled their laughter.

Matthew and Warren shook their heads at the same time. “I’m sure my cousins can remember what it’s like to have a run-in with a skunk.” Matthew said. “Isn’t that right, boys?”

“Ya got that right, cousin!” Calvin said, nodding ruefully. “Daniel done got it good one year!”

Daniel smacked him upside the head. “’Cause ya threw it at me!”

“Mind your manners, you pack of ruffians!” their mother barked. “There are ladies present!”

The men looked at Mrs. Riley, Summer and Elle – Mrs. Quinn had disappeared, possibly to take cover. “We’re sorry, ladies,” Benjamin apologized. “It just … struck us as funny!”

“I hardly see where getting sprayed by a skunk is funny,” Mrs. Riley commented.

“Well … it kinda is,” Calvin replied, suppressing a smile. “I mean, when ya ain’t the one that got sprayed!” He gave Daniel a wink.

Daniel ignored him and gave his attention to the women. “My brothers and I are sorry for the way we just acted. It’s just that … well, we have trouble helpin’ ourselves sometimes. We ain’t used to being around other folks, ya see.”

“No need to apologize, young man,” Mrs. Riley told him. “I’m glad that you’re here, and I’m sure I speak for the rest of the family.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t,” Summer muttered to Elle, who bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“Maybe if they came to town more often,” Mrs. Weaver said, “I wouldn’t have to take a switch to them as much.”

“Ma!” the twins said at once.

“Well, what do you expect when you come in here acting like a pack of wild hogs?”

“Ma, we ain’t actin’ so bad,” Daniel pointed out.

Behind him, Matthew Quinn grumbled otherwise and readjusted his collar.

“But we just got excited when we saw that pretty little gal hidin’ behind Warren over there ... uh …”

Warren realized Daniel was looking confused, and turned. No one was there!

“Where’d she go?” Calvin asked.

“Tarnation, Warren!” Benjamin laughed. “Can’tcha keep a hold of yer bride?”

But Warren was already headed out the door “Bernice?” he yelled

“Merciful heavens,” Mrs. Riley said, eyes wide. “Where could she have gone?”

“I’ll go look,” Summer said, heading for the door. Warren had already left, presumably to do the same.

“Heck, if the gal’s gone missin’, why don’t we all look?” Calvin suggested with a laugh and moved toward the door himself.

But Benjamin barred his way with an arm like an oak branch. “Ya know, maybe we’ve caused enough trouble.”

“There’s no maybe about it!” Mrs. Riley admonished. “The poor girl probably just stepped outside to get away from all your gawking and questioning!”

The men stilled and looked at her. “All right,” Calvin said, seemingly chastened. “We got business to see to anyway. Ain’t that right, cousin?” he added, turning to the counter

Matthew gave them a stiff smile. “Yes.
If
you can keep your hands to yourself.”

“Cousin Matty’s gonna help us write letters to our mail-order brides,” Benjamin said with a smile. “We ain’t real good at purty words ourselves. But Matty sure is!”

Matthew sighed behind the counter in a way that said he acknowledged the truth of the statement, but was not necessarily looking forward to the task.

“Sounds like you gentlemen have a full day,” Mrs. Riley said. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d best go see where Bernice has got to. Provided Warren or Summer haven’t found her first.” She looked at Elle. “Do you mind waiting for us here, dear?”

Elle had already found a comfortable chair to sit in and take the load of her growing baby off her aching feet. “You go right ahead. Hopefully she’s just on the porch.”

Mrs. Riley nodded, then gave a sharp look at the Weaver boys. “No shenanigans while I’m gone, or I’ll be finding your ma a good switch to use.” And off she went.

* * *

Warren was standing in the street, hands on his hips, when Summer caught up with him. “Any sign of her?”

He sighed, tipped his hat back and shook his head. “Not a one.”

Now Summer was worried. “But … where could she have gotten to?” She looked up and down the street. “She’s only been to Nowhere once, the day she arrived. Where would she go?”

Warren thought about that. “Tell you what. If you feel you’re up to it, you walk down that way, toward Doc Brown’s, and I’ll go this way.” He pointed in the opposite direction. “If one of us finds her, we’ll bring her here. If not, we’ll meet back here regardless. She can’t have gotten far, unless …” He gulped. Anything that would fit after the word
unless
didn’t bear thinking about.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Mrs. Riley replied, having just caught up with the pair. She and Summer headed off toward the doctor’s house.

Warren glanced one last time at his surroundings, still seeing no sign of his betrothed, then took off down the street the other way.

* * *

Benjamin and Calvin looked at each other with huge grins on their faces. “Think he needs any help?” Calvin asked with an exaggerated wink.

“Don’t,” Matthew snapped from behind the counter. “If he wanted your help, he would’ve asked you.”

“Just ‘cause a man don’t want help, don’t mean he don’t need it,” Benjamin argued.

“We have business to attend to, remember?” Matthew reminded him.

“Sure we do, but we ain’t leavin’ for a few days.”

“And poor Warren looked like he was ‘bout to bust a gut over his little bride up and leavin’ like that,” Daniel offered.

“You said you wanted help with your letters …”

“Let the letters wait!” Calvin said. “This looks like more fun!”

“Boys!” Ma Weaver warned. Then an empty chair caught her eye. “Wait – where did that other gal go?”

Benjamin turned around. Sure enough, the chair Elle had been using was now vacated. “Another one’s gone missin’?” He spun a full circle. “And where’s Aunt Betsy?”

“It’s an epidemic of disappearin’!” Calvin announced, wide-eyed. “Tarnation, if that don’t beat all!”

Daniel glanced around, then looked at Matthew, who could only shrug. “Ma, what’s goin’ on? Why are the women disappearin’?”

“They aren’t disappearing, child – at least not the way you think. They probably just … have other things to do.”

“But where?” Benjamin asked as he kept turning in circles. “Aunt Betsy?” he called.

Matthew came out from behind the counter. “I’m sure there’s an explanation, Aunt Mary. Mother probably took Elle to the back for a cup of tea. I’ll go fetch them for you.”

“Thank you, Matthew,” she said. “I’d appreciate it. And soon the others will bring that young lady back, you’ll see,” she told her sons.

Matthew headed to the back of the building, but returned within moments, a puzzled look on his face. “I don’t understand it. There’s no one there. Where could they have gone?”

“Maybe some skunk snuck in and stole ‘em!” Daniel said dramatically.

“Daniel, that may be the dumbest thing ya ever said!” Calvin replied.

“Calvin!” Ma Weaver scolded.

“Want to or not want to, Ma, we should prob’ly go look,” Benjamin said. “Ya gotta admit this is kinda strange.”

“Oh for Heaven’s sake! You and Calvin go ahead, but as soon as you find Warren’s gal or Spencer’s wife or your Aunt Betsy, you come back right away. If I find out you’ve gotten yourself in trouble, you won’t have to worry about me – I’ll let Arlan take care of the disciplining!”

Most of the time, that would’ve been warning enough to sober the twins. Not this time. “Yee haw!” Calvin cried. “We get to go huntin’!”

“You don’t have to be so excited about it,” Matthew groaned. “Just find out where they went.”

Benjamin slapped Calvin on the back. “You heard the man – let’s go!” They hurried from the mercantile like a pack of hounds on a hunt.

Matthew cringed when Calvin slammed the mercantile door shut on the way out. “Thank the Lord! Now maybe I can get some work done around here. Er, no offense, Aunt Mary.”

“None taken,” she said with a sigh, then turned to Daniel. “And no, dear, you aren’t stupid. You just spoke before thinking.”

“Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “Even a skunk the size of a bear couldn’t carry off three grown women.” He paused, then asked, “Ma? Ya think I could get a mail-order bride too?”

“Well … I don’t see why not. Though I’d feel mighty old, seeing my baby get married.”

“Ma, you ain’t old – and I ain’t a baby no more.”

“Right you are, son. Matthew, do you mind if we stay a spell and visit while you do your work? Who knows how long it will take everyone to find the women?”

Matthew nodded in agreement. “Not too long, I hope. Mrs. Riley and Miss Caulder have a wedding to plan.”

“And I’ve got brides to order – three brides now,” said Mrs. Weaver, beaming at Daniel. “But we can’t do either if the ones we’re planning and ordering for aren’t here.”

“That’s true,” Matthew agreed. “I just wish I knew where they all went.”

* * *

Spencer pinned up the last of the wanted posters, then stood back to look at his handiwork. Billy had taken to drawing big Xes on the ones they’d apprehended, and they’d been successful enough that the wall was beginning to look like a game of tic-tac-toe. All it needed was a few Os to make it official.

He chuckled at the thought and turned. A flash of color caught his eye out in the street. A man ran by, then another. What was going on?

He went to the door and out onto the boardwalk just as the fleeing men raced around a corner. Were they up to no good? He ran back inside, grabbed his hat, headed out again –and ran smack dab into Billy! “Oof!”

“Umph!” Billy grunted as he bounced off Spencer, almost toppling over. “Sheriff!”

“Billy!”

“Sheriff!”

Spencer straightened. Billy looked quite out of breath. “What’s all the ruckus?”

“Sheriff … they’re here …the whole lot of ‘em!”

“Whole lot of what?”

“The Weavers!”

“The Weavers! They’re here already? I didn’t expect to see them until tonight or tomorrow.”

“Turns out they came early, on account Arlan wanted to make sure Samijo saw Doc Brown right away.”

“Oh no! Is there something wrong with Arlan’s wife?”

Billy grinned. “Nah – she’s just got what yer wife got.”

Spencer was puzzled for a moment, then caught on. “Oh, I see. Well, good for them – but why were you and those other men tearing down the street a minute ago?”

“Those were the twins - they’re lookin’ for yer wife!”

“My wife! What for?”

“‘Cause she’s gone missin’ – along with Mrs. Quinn.”

“What?!”

“Oh, and Warren Johnson’s bride - he asked me a minute ago if’n I’d seen her. Then the twins came a-runnin’ and asked if I’d seen yer wife or Mrs. Quinn.”

Spencer stared at him, trying to keep calm. “And … have you?”

“Nossir.”

“All right, let’s split up. You start at one end of town, I’ll take the other.”

“Yessir,” Billy said and headed off.

Spencer, deciding he’d cover more ground on horseback, jumped off the boardwalk, mounted his gelding and was off. Hopefully Elle and Mrs. Quinn, not to mention Miss Caulder, had just gone over to Hank’s for lunch. The Weaver boys weren’t the brightest bunch, and the way they were running down the street, they probably hadn’t stopped to ask. To them it was one huge romp.