Authors: Aisha Brooks
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1: Nervous Upon Arrival
Chapter 2: A Party Gone Wrong
Chapter 3: Vicksburg Living
Chapter 4: Sometimes You Need A Second Chance
Chapter 5: A Walk In The Moonlight
Chapter 6: A Promise of Love
Chapter 1: Nervous Upon Arrival
Belle Trotter knew as soon as she stepped down from the train that she was in way over her head. The noonday heat blasted her in the face as she looked around. She was used to the hustle and bustle of the big city, but she could see from end to end of the town as she stood at the bottom of the steps.
For one crazy second, every part of her mind told her to turn around, jump back on the train, and ride it as far away from the little town of Vicksburg as she could, but she didn’t. Summoning every ounce of will she had, she gathered up her small floral valise that held everything she owned in this world and stepped away from the train so others could depart. A glance about the station proved to her that she knew not a soul around.
A tall, whip-thin man raised a hand and began to walk toward her. Belle’s heart leapt in her chest as she looked the man over. She decided that this must be the man whom she was to marry.
My Lord
, she thought,
how did I ever get myself into this?
The man looked something like what he said he would over the telegraph. At least he didn’t lie about that, she thought. It was a small comfort.
For now, her mind was overrun with thoughts that she wished she would have had before. Thoughts about who this man was. He claimed to be a sheriff, but she had no idea if that was true. For all she knew, he could be an outlaw and just wanted a woman for a few nights.
Sweat broke out on her forehead, so she pulled out her handkerchief and wiped it away as casually as she could. Her hands wrung the kerchief as she waited for the man to get to her. He stepped up and swept his hat from his head. It was all she could do not to laugh out of nervousness when he sketched a bow over his extended right leg. As was customary she held out her hand. He took it and gently kissed the back before he spoke.
His voice was gruff, but held no anger. This close she could see that he had a walrus mustache. It had once been black, but now it was flecked with gray, as was his hair. He smelt fine. Not like an outlaw at all. What an odd thing to notice, she thought to herself as he replaced his hat on his head.
“You must be Belle Trotter.”
“I am.”
“Nice to meet you Belle. My name is Matt Thorn.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, Ma’am. I’d say you about the prettiest thing I’ve seen in my life. Your beauty rivals that of the desert flower when the rains come after a long drought.”
“Thank you.” She blushed despite herself. Suddenly, everything began to take its toll. The new town, people talking all around her, the man before her, and the noises of the train were all more than she could stand. Her head began to swim. “Could we step in the shade? I am beginning to feel lightheaded.”
“Of course.”
Taking her valise, he linked her hand through his elbow and led her toward a bench near the train station that was in the shade, but all of the sudden her dress seemed like it was much too tight.
I can’t get any air
, she thought. Darkness seeped into her vision.
I hope I’m not dying
was her last thought before she fainted. As she fell, strong arms wrapped around her and kept her from hitting the ground.
Belle had no sensation of being moved from the station and to a stranger’s bed. She was off in another time. In her mind, she was back in Chicago and her parents were still alive. The memory was one from more than three years ago, when she was just fourteen.
Chapter 2: A Party Gone Wrong
Her father called to her from downstairs and told her to hurry up. The play would be starting soon and they would miss the opening act if she didn’t come down now. She yelled to him and told him she was coming down as she fixed the last pin in her hair to keep it up in an elegant, yet graceful bun. Her mother had taught her how to put her hair up last year and ever since then she hadn’t gone anywhere without it done up properly.
She ran out of her room and down the stairs in a flash. Her father and mother waited at the bottom of the stairs with the front door open. Through the open door, Belle could see the carriage driver as he stood beside the carriage, waiting politely. Her father spun his hat in his hands by the brim and motioned for her to hurry. She leapt the last two steps and landed in front of her parents in a skid. The floor was slick from a recent waxing and she could not stop her slide. With quick hands her mother reached out and grabbed her by the arms. She waved a gloved finger under Belle’s nose.
“This is not the behavior of a lady. A lady does not run or jump down the stairs. A lady has poise and dignity.” The grip of her mother was like iron as she pulled her down the front steps. “You must learn to be a lady, Belle. If you do not, then you will never find a good husband as I did and you will be forced to live your life out as a spinster and die alone.”
“Oh, Mother. You are so melodramatic.” Belle sighed.
“Don’t use that tone of voice with your mother.” Her father was a good man in his own way, but even at the age of fourteen Belle could see that he did nothing unless he consulted with her mother first, and then he would only continue if she gave him a yes.
I hope that the man I marry isn’t like my father
, Belle thought. She felt bad for thinking that way, but she thought that a man and woman should be equals in a marriage, not one ruling the other.
As she climbed up into the carriage after her mother, she hoped that the man she was going to meet tonight would be a handsome man with strong arms and a quick wit. Her father climbed into the stage behind her and they set off for the play.
After the play, Belle and her parents would be going to a small party of the Chicago elite. The man she was promised to once she turned fifteen was to be at the party so that they could be formally introduced. She found herself wondering once again what he would be like. Mother had told her that he was in his early thirties, but that was no matter. As long as he was handsome and smart, she didn’t care if he was forty.
The carriage trundled along the road for some time with them in the back until a single shot rang out in the night. Beside her, Belle’s mother screamed at the report of the gun and pulled her close. The carriage shifted slightly and another shot rang out. This time it was much closer. The thump of the driver as he pitched off carriage and landed in the street was loud. Again, Belle’s mother screamed. Belle turned to her father in the hopes that he would know what to do, but he was huddled in the corner with his knees pulled up to his chest. Sobs racked his small body each time he took a breath. The carriage door flew open.
A man with a black handkerchief tied around the lower half of his face appeared and even though she couldn’t see his mouth, she could tell that he smiled because of his eyes. In his hand, he held a pistol that gleamed in the moonlight. He motioned the gun to her father.
“Get out of the coach.” His voice was gruff to intentionally disguise it.
“Just take what you want.” Her father held out his wallet and his gold watch in shaking hands.
“I don’t want your money. I was hired to do a job and I aim to do it. Now, you and the missus get out of the coach or I’ll kill the both of you in front of your daughter and I know you don’t want that. Do you?”
“No. No, please. We’ll get out.” Her mother climbed over and stepped down. Belle couldn’t believe when the thief or robber or whatever he was helped her mother down from the carriage. Her father went next, but he shook all over and the man had to help him down as well. He motioned for them to step back off the road and turned back toward Belle.
“You’re gonna want to turn your head little one. No one wants you to see what is about to happen. Me in the least, but I was paid to do a job and I’ll see it finished. Turn around now.”
Belle was too confused and scared to do anything other than what the man asked her to do. She turned and looked out the window opposite of the door her mother and father exited. Her mother let out a small scream, but it was silenced by the roar of a gun. Her father emitted a small choking sob and then it too was drowned out by the gun’s report. She heard footsteps approach the door of the carriage, but she was too afraid to turn around. A gruff voice spoke through the window at her.
“I’m gonna take you home now. I don’t enjoy what I do. Of that you can be assured. Believe me when I say I did what I had to do not just for money, but for the good of the country. I know that no matter what I say you’ll still hate me and probably won’t believe me, but one day you’ll be older and maybe you’ll understand. What happened here tonight was inevitable if the country is to survive. I’m sorry.”
Without another word he walked away from the window. Belle felt the carriage shift as he climbed into the driver’s seat, but that was the last thing that she remembered for she fainted. She vaguely recalled someone carrying her into her house and laying her down, but that was all. Someone began to pat her lightly on the cheek and call her name over and over again.
“Belle. Belle. Belle.”
Chapter 3: Vicksburg Living
Belle opened her eyes and took in the face of the person that was standing over her. Wrinkles lined the eyes telling her that the face belonged to an older woman. For a few seconds, she had no idea where she was and then the events of the last few weeks came back to her and she began to cry. The older woman made a gentle shushing sound and laid a hand on Belle’s forehead.
“Don’t you cry now, honey. I know that you’re going through a lot, but you’ve gotta be strong. Out here men like a strong woman that can stand beside them.”
“I’m sorry.” She tried to get up too fast and the room spun around her.
“Not so fast, now.” The woman offered her a hand and helped her sit up slowly. “You’re dehydrated and from the looks of you, I’d say you haven’t eaten a decent meal in weeks.”
“I didn’t have the money. I used the last bit I had to buy an ad in the paper. If Mr. Thorn had not answered my ad, I don’t know what I would have done.” The thought of Matt Thorn made her remember that she had fainted on him at the train station. “Oh my. I seem to have acted like a ninny in front of him. Where is he?”
“He was called away to break up a bar fight.”
“Goodness.” Belle clutched her hands to her chest. “I hope that he will be alright.”
“Don’t you worry none about the Sheriff. He can take care of himself. Heck, he breaks up at least four or five fights down at the saloon a week and don’t you worry yourself too much about fainting in front of him. I explained to him that it was a lack of food and dehydration that caused you to do it.” The older woman gives a wink. “Wouldn’t want him getting the big head and thinking that you fainted ‘cause he was so handsome now would we?”
Belle giggled despite how bad she felt. “I guess not.”
“There’s a smile.” The woman held out a hand and Belle took it. The palm was hard and calloused from years of hard labor, nothing at all like her own soft and dainty hands. “My name’s Emily Patrick, but folks ‘round her just call me Em. What do you say we get you on your feet and in the kitchen so I can get some food in your belly?”
Her stomach rumbled at the mention of food and Belle nodded. “I think that would be divine.”
“Divine she says.” Em chuckled. “You don’t need to use that big language around here, honey. We’re simple folks in Vicksburg and we speak simple.”
“Yes Ma’am.” Belle wasn’t sure why she said ma’am. She thought for a moment that maybe it was because Em reminded her of her mother, but she knew that wasn’t right. Her mother had been a heartless woman only interested in power and money. Em was nothing like that. She might sound harsh, but Belle could tell that she was only trying in her own way to help her out and make life easier. That was when she realized why she said ma’am. She respected the woman.
“Sit down at the table and I’ll fix you something to eat.”
A while later Em and Belle sat at the table and drank coffee as they swapped stories. Most of Belle’s were only about how things were back east and not about life experiences, but Em listened with full attention. With her stomach full of hot beans and beef and biscuits she felt much better. Not to mention the coffee. She hadn’t been able to eat much because her stomach had shrunk in her weeks of near starvation, but she did her best to put away as much as she could.
“I think I hear boots on the road. That’ll be the Sheriff and Tom.”
Tom was Em’s husband. At sixty, he still ran the blacksmith shop by himself and filled all the orders on time. Belle was curious to see him for Em had told her that he was still a brute of a man. The thought of Matt made her stomach lurch. She knew that he had ordered her out of the paper, but she still didn’t know him. Her host seemed to think highly of him, so she tried to calm down. She took another sip of her coffee and set it back down. The cup clattered against the saucer.
“Are you nervous, girl?”
“I’m not going to lie. I’m scared to death. I don’t know this man. I’ve never seen him in my life and now I have to go live with him and sleep in the same bed as him. Just like that. I don’t know if I can do it.”
Em placed her hand over Belle’s and looked her in the eyes. “You don’t have to do anything that you don’t feel comfortable with. Matt is a good man and he’ll understand. If you’d like I could talk to him and explain that you’re a little shook up still and nervous about the arrangements.”
“Would you?”
She felt bad for asking, but Em nodded and got up. She opened the door and stepped out into the dying light of the sun as it set on the horizon. Belle could hear their voices as they spoke. She couldn’t quite make out the words and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to. Her cup sat forgotten on the table as the front door opened once more and Em came through. A huge man filled the doorway behind her, his shoulders almost as wide as the frame. She could see that his hands were stained black from working with metal and his face was covered in soot from the fire of the forge. His shirt and beard were caked with sweat and dust, but his smile was nice. He swept off his cap and nodded to her. Em pointed at him and introduced them to each other.
“This is my husband Tom. Tom, this is Belle Trotter. She’s the Sheriff’s mail order bride.”
“Nice to meet you Ms. Trotter. I’d shake your hand, but I ain’t washed yet.”
“That is fine, Mr. Patrick.”
“Just Tom.”
“Then you must call me Belle.”
“It’s a deal.”
“That’s enough chatting you two.” Em interrupted. “Matt’s waiting outside for you, Belle. I explained to him that you’re still a little rocked from your ordeal. He said you could have his bed and he’d sleep in the sitting room. You best not keep him waiting now.”
Belle nodded and got up. As she started for the door, she realized that she didn’t have her valise with all her possessions in it, but Em was one step ahead of her. She picked it up from behind a chair near the door and held it out to her.
As Belle neared the door, she grew nervous. She didn’t want to look like a dolt once again in front of these people so she bolstered her resolve and stepped out into the night to meet her new husband.