Stephen’s Bride (3 page)

“Are you really Uncle Stephen’s wife?” Little Amelia McCoy, Stephen’s niece, stared at her wide-eyed. She was a cute little girl of about six, long golden curls hanging down her back. She and her brother, Chandler, had crowded into the back of the supply-laden wagon after she and Stephen had left the Justice of the Peace and headed to the school to pick the children up.

“Yes, it appears I am. Your Uncle Stephen and I just got married this afternoon.” Something about the friendly, happy children with bright, curious eyes calmed her nerves a bit. A man who had a family like this must be a good man.

Earlier, once they’d left the café, Stephen walked them to the General Store where he introduced her, bought a gold band, and with the General Store owner’s mouth gaping at his announcement, hustled her down the boardwalk to the Justice of the Peace.

When they arrived at the school, his niece and nephew were no less surprised, but then again, most men don’t go into town for family supplies and return with a wife. “How soon do you think we will be able to return to my farm?”

Stephen shifted a toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other. “There isn’t anything keeping me here that can’t be resolved in a few hours. We can go any time you want to.”

“It’s just that I know Rupert would have sent men after me, and I don’t want to leave my home empty for too long.”

He seemed to ponder his answer. “How about we plan on leaving first thing in the morning?”

“Where will I sleep?”

He grinned. “With me.”

With him? Of course not. That would be scandalous. She cast him a sideways glance. Sleep in the same bed with a man she’d just met?

He’s your husband.

Her mind drifted to how it would feel to lie alongside him all night. Would their bodies touch? Would he insist on kissing her goodnight? Where would that lead?

Apparently sensing her distress, he moved the reins into his left hand and covered her hand with his right hand. “Don’t worry yourself. We’ll make arrangements that will make you comfortable. There’s no need to mention anything about out agreement to my brother, Daniel and his wife, Rosemarie. What happens, or doesn’t happen, between us is our own business.”

She took in a deep breath and gave him a bright smile. His eyes grew wide and he swallowed several times. Whatever was wrong with the man?

They soon arrived at a tidy farmhouse. A large tree stood alongside the house with a swing hanging from a branch, blowing gently in the breeze. The barn and house were well-cared for, with a fresh coat of pain. The fences were mended, and the front porch held two rocking chairs and a box of toys. Calliope felt even surer of her decision to marry Stephen.

A man with a walk similar to Stephen’s left the barn and joined them at the wagon while a woman with a baby on her hip descended the steps from the front porch. Both had a curious look on their face.

“Is that your brother and his wife?”

“Yes.” Stephen jumped from the wagon and strode to the other side. Lifting up his arms, he grasped her around the waist and swung her to her feet. He placed a possessive arm around her shoulders as they faced the couple. “Daniel, Rosemarie, I’d like you to meet my wife, Calliope.”

Two sets of surprised eyes met hers. Her new sister-in-law, possessing grace and dignity not usually seen on a country farm, smiled warmly and held out her hand. “Welcome to the family, Calliope. Why don’t you come into the house while the men unload the wagon? I’m sure you could use a cup of tea.” She cast raised eyebrows at Stephen and led Calliope into the house.

Amelia followed them in, tugging on her mama’s skirts. “Mama, Uncle Stephen got married.”

Rosemarie turned to her daughter. “I see that, Amelia. Why don’t you help me make some tea for your new aunt?”

The little girl slipped her hand into Calliope’s. “Are you my aunt now?”

Surprised by the quick acceptance of what must be a very strange situation to Rosemarie, Calliope looked down at the little girl. “Yes, sweetheart, I am your new aunt.”

“Good.” She nodded briskly, and they all proceeded into the house.

It was a well-tended farmhouse, and Rosemarie had made a very comfortable home for her family. Lace curtains blew softly with the slight breeze coming through the window. Hand embroidered pillows were strewn around the parlor on clean, but well-used furniture.

“Come on into the kitchen,” Rosemarie said, shifting the baby from one hip to the other. The aroma of something wonderful filled the air from the pot bubbling away on the stove. “Are you hungry? We are planning supper in another hour, but I can fix you something now.”

“No, thank you so much. Stephen and I had a meal while we were in town.”

Rosemarie merely nodded and set about filling a small pot with water and placing it on the stove. “Amelia, please fetch the milk from the cooler and put a few cookies on a plate for . . . your aunt.”

Calliope pulled out a chair and sat at the table, watching mother and daughter prepare tea. How lovely it would be to have a daughter of her own one day. Except to do that she would have to have a husband in truth. Not something she wanted. Her mama had suffered just about every day of her life with a man who controlled every part of her day. He made all the decisions involving the farm and the house, leaving her mother with nothing to say about anything.

Not for her. As much as she love her papa, she hated the control he wielded over her and Mama. He had been more than happy to have her work with him on the farm, but when it came to listening to any of her suggestions on how to do things better, she’d been promptly reminded that she was a female and therefore, needed a man to guide her through life. Women’s suggestions were never worthwhile. She’d heard that over and over to the point where she finally learned to keep her mouth shut. Now it was her turn to do the things she’d longed to do.

A voracious reader, she’d compiled pages of notes from books on farming, irrigation, and harvesting. She kept up with the farmer’s news in the newspaper and had plenty of ideas on how to make her farm more productive, and to even cut costs. Her time to manage her farm had arrived, and she was anxious to do just that.

They were almost through with their tea and conversation when Stephen and his brother, Daniel entered the kitchen. “Supper ready, Rosemarie? I’m starved.” Daniel tossed his hat on the hook near the back door and pumped water into the sink to wash his hands.

“Calliope and I had dinner in town.” Stephen took the chair next to Calliope. “Unless you’re still hungry?”

She shook her head. “No. I just had tea and a couple of cookies, so I am quite full.”

“Let’s take a walk while the family has supper.” He stood and pulled out her chair. She was a bit concerned about his serious demeanor. Had his brother convinced him he’d made a terrible mistake? Would she have to return to her farm without a man to protect her and her name?

Pushing her anxious thoughts aside, she smiled at him. “That would be nice. I would love to see the farm. Maybe get some ideas for mine.” She accepted his hand when he reached for hers and followed him out of the house.

Stephen was still smarting from the lecture Daniel had given him. His big brother thought he was an idiot for agreeing to marry a woman he knew nothing about. Pointing out that Daniel knew nothing about Rosie when he moved into her house was quickly dispelled by his comments that he had spent weeks with her before they married.

Eventually, his brother had wished him well and reminded him he was always welcomed back, and if Stephen needed any help to send word. He and Calliope still held hands as he walked her around the farm. They passed the barn, the cold cellar where Rosie kept the vegetables and fruits she’d stored for the winter, now almost depleted, and Daniel’s newly added horse farm.

Calliope commented on the smoke house, the ice house, and chicken coops. Once they entered the apple orchard, he saw definite amazement in her eyes at the size and productivity of the farm.

“It’s amazing what they’ve done here. They are completely self-reliant. When we return home, I need to start thinking about doing more of this. Maybe adding an orchard and smokehouse.” She turned him, her eyes bright. “Those are things I badgered Papa about for the past few years, but he only saw profit in corn and wheat.”

No, he’d not been crazy to marry Calliope. The excitement in her manner told him she was truthful about what she owned, a point that Daniel had made. He said perhaps there was no farm, no man trying to take it over, that maybe Calliope’s story was made up.

The sun was beginning to set behind the trees when Stephen and Calliope returned from their walk. The house had quieted down, with Jace and Lucy already in bed and Chandler and Amelia busy with their homework. Rosemarie occupied her favorite chair near the window where she worked on mending for the family. As usual, Daniel sat at the large desk near his wife and went over the ledger book and correspondence.

“We will be leaving in the morning at first light.” His brother and sister-in-law looked up from their work at Stephen’s words.

“How are you traveling to Johnson County?”

“I bought tickets for the stagecoach when we were in town earlier.”

“What about your horse?” Daniel removed the pipe he’d had clamped in his mouth and laid it carefully on a small dish on the desk. “Topaz is yours, I gave him to you.”

“I would very much like to take him with me. I can ride alongside the coach, or tie him to the back for part of the way. It’s not that long of a ride, only about six hours.”

Daniel nodded and returned to his work. Rosemarie smiled at the two of them. “I wish you both well. And if you need anything, please write. Also, we would love a visit now and then.”

“Thank you so much for your hospitality, and I do hope we will be able to visit each other.” Calliope returned her smile, and allowed Stephen to escort her to his bedroom.

Although he’d spent two years in this bedroom, he’d never noticed how small the room was, and how much space the bed took up. The bed they both would sleep in.

“Where will you sleep?” Calliope twisted her fingers and shifted her gaze from the bed to him.

“Here.” He waved at the bed. Damn, it didn’t look so big now that he imagined him and Calliope both lying there. Hopefully once they got to her farm there would be better sleeping arrangements until she decided she was ‘comfortable.’ He sure as hell wasn’t comfortable now.

Just picturing her spread out on that bed, naked, with her hair cascading over the pillow, her arms outstretched, reaching for him, had the lower parts of his body stiffening.

“Can’t you sleep on the floor?” She continued to stare at the bed while she chewed her lips. Plump lips. Red lips. Ready-to-be kissed lips.

“No.” He barely got the word out.

“Why not?”

Stephen took a deep breath, trying to get his body under control. Damn, he only met the woman a few hours ago, and here he was ready to jump on her. She was an innocent girl, obviously frightened to death to find herself with a strange man behind a closed bedroom door. “Because tomorrow we begin a six hour journey which I don’t intend to start with aching muscles.”

She fisted her hands on her hips. Rounded hips, below full breasts. Lord the room had gotten hot all of a sudden. “That’s not very gentlemanly.”

He began to unbutton his shirt. “No, it’s not. But I already told you we would not engage in normal martial relations until you’re comfortable. I intend to keep my word.”

God help him.

Her eyes grew wide. “What are you doing?”

“Getting ready for bed.” He removed his shirt and tossed it over the back of a chair near the bed, the union suit underneath his shirt and pants heating him to where he wanted to remove every stitch of clothing and lie naked on the bed. Next to Calliope. Also naked on the bed.

No chance of that happening.

“I thought we would sleep in our clothes.”

“Honey, you can sleep in all that finery if you want to, but I will at least remove my pants and shirt. It can get pretty hot in here.” And tonight it will be hotter than ever.

She studied him, then glanced at the bed. “Well, maybe I’ll take this silly wedding gown off. I suppose I can sleep in my chemise and drawers. But the petticoats and corset will have to go, too.”

The more she mentioned the various items of clothing she intended to remove, the more interested he became in the conversation. “Can I help?”

“Yes, I suppose I will need your help. Ordinarily I have the woman who works for us at the farm as a housekeeper and cook help me dress. Bertha is a dear person, and I hope I haven’t caused her too much worry.”

Calliope removed her white bonnet and turned. “Can you unbutton the gown, please?”

He was startled to see his fingers shaking as he undid the long string of buttons on Calliope’s wedding gown. And were there a lot of buttons. Why the devil would someone make a wedding gown with so many obstacles for the new husband?

As the buttons opened, the sight of her smooth skin under his calloused hands had him breaking into a sweat. He hurriedly finished the rest of the buttons. “I’ll go for a walk while you get ready for bed.” Hoping he didn’t scandalize Rosie by fleeing out the front door in his trousers and Union suit, he raced from the room.

They’d been on the road toward Calliope’s farm in Johnson County since barely after sunrise. Rosemarie had packed a lunch for them to eat on the road since the stagecoach wouldn’t make another stop until they reached their destination. They’d finished that off two hours ago, and from what Stephen could tell by the position of the sun they would be close to arriving within the hour.

Calliope had sat, staring out the window almost the entire trip. They were crowded into the space with three other men. He and his wife sat side-by-side, crammed together with a bulky man sharing their bench. Even though Stephen had planned on riding Topaz part of the way, once he realized doing that would leave Calliope with three strange men, he decided to stay in the coach. Consequently, he was stiff and sore and not in the best frame of mind.