Page 15 of Mail-Order Bride Runaway
“But then maybe it is.” He pulled on his boots and led the horses back to the wagon. Once the animals were hitched in place, they both climbed aboard and were on their way.
For a spell, neither of them spoke. He was content with silence. With being alone with his thoughts that went back and forth between hesitation and anticipation at the notion of visiting Trudy. And her husband, of course. From there he considered Miss Epps’s plan to go to Europe. As soon as she could find a spouse for her mother by the sounds of it. Then his thoughts went to the fire Flint had told them about. A fire under these dry conditions would be disastrous. He sniffed. Did he smell smoke? He studied the horizon in every direction and when he saw neither smoke nor flames, he relaxed.
“My pa was a good man.” Her words were soft.
Seems she wasn’t as content to dwell in her own thoughts as he.
“He was a preacher. A good one. His life was a sermon.” She shifted to look at him. “He was kind and considerate. Always willing to help.” Her tone changed. “I couldn’t believe it when he died, and the church leaders gave Ma and me two weeks to move out. We had no money. No family to turn to. I had promised Pa to take care of my mother, so I went to the church and pointed out that the Bible instructs us to take care of widows and orphans. I said that the very least they could do was provide us a home. Humph. They did the very least, I’d say. We were given a tiny weather-beaten shack.” She sat up, her shoulders back, her chin jutting out. “We fixed the place up. The ladies must have felt sorry for us for they brought mending and laundry to Ma. When I delivered it back to them, I’d offer to run errands, do chores, weed the garden, tend the children…anything in return for a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, or a cut of meat.” Her breath rushed in and out.
“My pa used to say we should never turn away from someone in need.” Andy’s words came out slow, and hopefully, a little calming.
“Too bad not everyone acts that way.” Her neck must have grown tense with the telling of her story for she tilted her head one way and then the other. “You can understand why I need to make sure my mother is settled and provided for before I can go to Europe.”
He nodded. Though he might view things differently. “I take it your ma believes a marriage would solve your problems.”
“Of course, she does.” Her eyes burned as blue as the flames of a furnace. He could almost feel the heat from them. “Why would you make it sound otherwise?”
“I didn’t mean to. I know nothing of your situation but weren’t there any available men after your father’s passing—how many years ago did you say that was?”
“I didn’t. It was four years ago when I was thirteen and yes, if you must know, she’d had a few offers of marriage in the last couple of years.”
She was seventeen? A mere child. But he decided against pointing it out. Maybe he didn’t need to, for she regarded him with narrowed eyes.
“I’m not a child. I’ve been working, helping Ma, and being a grown-up since Pa passed away.” With a huff, she sat back, folded her hands in her lap, and stared straight ahead. “She didn’t care for any of the men who asked her.”
Andy had no way of knowing if the men were as awful as Mr. Hartman so said nothing on that matter. Instead, he told her about his parents. “My ma died eight years before Pa. He said he’d never marry again. Said finding a woman like Ma made it impossible for him to ever care for another. Then he’d add, and no woman would want to try and live up to her memory.”
Miss Epps relaxed. “That’s sweet.”
Andy chuckled. “No one knowing my pa would call him sweet but yes, it is.”
The sun sank toward the west. The sky turned purple and pink. He strained into the distance hoping for a sign of buildings.
“How much farther?” his companion asked.
“I can’t say for certain.”
She shifted and regarded him. “Have you never been there before?”
“Nope. Just following the instructions I was given.”
Her mouth twisted as if she was trying to force a word out before she jerked around and stared into the distance. “How will you know when you get there? We might have passed by already.”
“Her mother said we couldn’t miss it.”
“Humph. I hope she’s right.”
“She said we’d come to a Y in the road. I’m to go to the left and continue until I see a barn to the right. Not far off the trail.”
Dusk had fallen. Soon they’d have only the moon to light their way. Miss Epps sat back. “I hope these people have a lamp lit or we’ll pass right by.”
“I’m certain I’ll see the barn. And a laneway leaving the main road. I won’t miss it.” He spoke with more confidence than he felt. The sickle moon gave little light to their path. They both strained to see the road ahead. If he missed the turn, he had no idea where they might end up. Perhaps at the nearest train station.Nearbeing anything from ten miles to a hundred.
“There it is.” She almost bounced out of the wagon as she jumped up and down and pointed.
“I see it.” He turned the horses to the left.
“How far did this person say until we get to the barn?”
