Winning The Mail-Order Bride

His needed some reminding right now. Fiona and the boys were not in church. Josiah had arrived, alone, shortly after Brett had. Knowing he was too curious not to watch her place this morning, he’d headed over to the livery, where he could keep an eye on things inconspicuously. While doing just that, he’d shared a pot of coffee with Wally before the church bells had rung. Wally had forgone services, as usual, and had grumbled, complaining that the single men in town would starve if Rollie closed his eatery every Sunday morning.

Thinking of that made Brett’s stomach growl. He’d skipped breakfast, choosing to give the last of the eggs to Fiona. He didn’t regret that. Nor did he begrudge Rollie for closing his eatery this morning. Rollie had married one of the brides yesterday, and the couple was in church this morning. Along with Rollie’s two young sons.

When the services ended, Brett exited the building, shaking the reverend’s hand on his way out. He’d just stepped off the bottom step when movement behind one of the few trees caught his eyes.

Teddy stayed as hidden as possible while waving at him.

Brett glanced left and right, making sure no one else had noticed Teddy, before he walked to the tree.

“What are you doing?”

“Staying out of Abigail’s sight,” Teddy said. “I told her I wasn’t feeling well this morning.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Why? So I could watch for your mother’s message. Nothing has come in yet, and I’m heading back over there. Just thought I’d let you know. Abigail’s having lunch with the new reverend at the eatery in order to interview him for her special edition, so I’ll have the office to myself most of the afternoon.”

A good portion of guilt rolled around in Brett’s stomach. Teddy was so eager over the prospect of a new avenue to acquire brides, Brett didn’t want to squelch it, even though the idea was no longer exciting to him. “Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate it.”

“Just remember our deal,” Teddy said, ducking as he left the coverage the tree had provided.

Brett watched until Teddy made it all the way across the road and into the newspaper office before he turned and walked up the road.

The hotel was indeed open, and the smell of fried chicken filled the air. Brett entered the building and, noting all the tables were full, went over to the hotel desk. “Rollie,” he greeted.

“Hey, Brett, how are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“Fine, better than fine, actually,” Rollie said as a woman stepped up beside him. “You know my new wife, Sadie.”

“Sure do,” Brett replied, nodding toward the woman with pink cheeks. She was a tiny gal and sort of cute with her reddish hair all piled up on top of her head. He’d met her several times since she’d arrived along with the other brides, mainly right here at the eatery. Shortly after her arrival, Rollie’s cook had taken ill for a few days and Sadie had stepped in to help. Along with several others, Brett had figured she’d end up marrying Rollie, so he hadn’t pursued her. Besides, he couldn’t say he’d heard her speak other than a few whispered you’re welcomes. “Ma’am,” he said, tipping the brim of his hat.

She smiled and bowed her head slightly.

“What can I do for you, Brett?” Rollie asked while tugging his wife a little closer to his side.

“Looks like you have a full house. Think I could get a meal to take home?” He and Wally did that often enough, especially when both shops were too busy to shut down long enough to go eat.

“Of course,” Rollie said. “The special is fried chicken today, with beans, fried potatoes and sweet pickles.”

“Sounds good.” Fried chicken was one of his favorite meals. Someday he’d buy a whole flock of chickens so his family could have fried chicken every Sunday if they wanted.

“I’ll get it,” Sadie said quietly.

“Make it a double order, my dear,” Rollie said. “Brett’s a hearty eater and one of our best customers.”

The new bride nodded and said something to Rollie. Brett didn’t hear what because a shrill laugh had dang near split his eardrums in two. He recognized the laugh came from Abigail and leaned back to look around the corner and into the dining room. There she sat, along with the preacher and the mayor.

The mayor? As Josiah ordered food from one of the young girls who also worked at the eatery, Brett’s spine stiffened even more than it had from Abigail’s laugh. A good bout of disgust heavily laced with anger filled him. As Sadie walked around him, Brett reached out and touched her arm. “Make that order enough for four people to eat,” he said. “Four hungry people.”

She glanced at Rollie, and so did Brett, but didn’t say anything.

“You heard him, dear, enough for four.” While his wife walked away, Rollie added, “The fried chicken smells so good you’re buying enough for tonight too, are you, Brett?”

“Something like that,” Brett answered. “How much do I owe you?”

Rollie told him the amount, and while Brett counted out the payment, anger roiled harder and faster inside him. He had half a mind to go pull Josiah off his chair by his fat neck and tell him that while he was stuffing his face, there was a fine woman and two little boys who hadn’t eaten a decent meal in weeks. Months mayhap considering they’d left Ohio penniless. The boys had inadvertently told him that and he believed it.

He knew for certain Josiah hadn’t taken her any provisions. While visiting Wally, he’d seen Josiah walking toward her house empty-handed. Those six eggs he’d given her weren’t enough to keep them going for long.

“I sure do hope Abigail White doesn’t scare the new preacher off before he gets to know anyone else,” Rollie said. “The sermon he gave was wonderful this morning. Sadie and I discussed it on the walk home. He even held the boys’ attention. They barely squirmed in the pews.”

Close to fuming, Brett didn’t dare do much more than nod.

“I hear tell he’s from California,” Rollie said. “Answered an advertisement the mayor sent out to newspapers in that area. Abigail helped him with those. That’s what she claims. I’m sure we’ll read all about it in the special edition this week.”

Brett nodded again and couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Seems the mayor is hauling quite a few people into town.”

Rollie frowned and then grimaced as he asked, “You aren’t angry at me, are you, Brett? For marrying Sadie? I know you contributed to the Betterment Committee and all, but—”

“No,” Brett said, stopping the man. “I’m not angry at you, Rollie. You needed a wife and you got one fair and square. I hope the two of you are happy.”

“Oh, we are. We are. And I’m glad you feel that way, Brett. You are one of my best customers. I consider you a friend too.”

“I consider you a friend too, Rollie.” Brett let out a sigh, but it didn’t help his anger toward Josiah and how he was treating Fiona. “And like I said, you deserved a wife. Some men in this town don’t.”

Rollie frowned, but it didn’t last long. His wife appeared, carrying a large basket covered with a blue checkered cloth.

“Here you are, Mr. Blackwell,” she said quietly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Austin,” Brett said. “I’ll return your dishes and basket tomorrow.” After a nod toward Rollie, he turned and walked out the door.

As he made his way toward his place, his disgust for Josiah didn’t fade. Fiona deserved better than the likes of Melbourne, and so did Wyatt and Rhett. They needed someone they could count on, all day, every day. That would never be Josiah. Though he might be a fine mayor, he wasn’t much of a man. Not in Brett’s eyes right now anyway.

“Hi, Brett—I mean Mr. Blackwell, what’s in the basket?”

Good thing a train hadn’t been coming. He’d crossed the tracks and rounded his blacksmith shop without glancing left or right once along the way.