Pony Express Christmas Bride

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Thomas entered the house quietly. He figured the women would be in the kitchen. What was he going to say? How angry was Ma?

Laughter filled the house. The sound came from the kitchen. Thomas frowned. Maybe he’d read too much into Ma’s summons to come inside. He walked the short distance to the kitchen.

Rebecca saw him in the doorway and pushed away from the table. She hurried to him and gave him a hug. “Josephine tells us that you two got married this morning.” Blue eyes looked up at him. There was a smile on her face, but disappointment filled her gaze.

“We did. I meant to tell you but got sidetracked,” he offered in the same manner he’d done as a boy when he and Philip had gotten themselves into trouble with her.

“Would you like a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies? Joy baked them.” Rebecca turned from him and walked to the stove.

He smiled at his little sister, who stood beside Josephine. “I’d love one of Joy’s cookies.”

Joy grinned proudly at his words. “They are sugar cookies.” She cut her eyes to look at Josephine. “I like to use lots of butter in my cookies.”

“I noticed that. They are especially yummy.” Josephine smiled at the little girl.

Thomas walked to the table and sat down beside his new wife. “I love sugar cookies.” He scooped up Joy and hugged his sister close.

Josephine watched them with a soft grin. “I’ll have to borrow your recipe, Joy.”

Joy’s shyness filled her voice as she said, “It’s really Ma’s recipe. She just lets me use it.”

“I’ll be happy to write it out for you, Josephine. But I have to warn you, Thomas will eat them all if you don’t watch him closely.” Rebecca sat a dessert plate in front of him with two cookies on it.

He snatched one of the cookies up and made a big show of taking a bite from the treat. “Mmm, these are good.” Thomas prayed he’d make it through the day. Both of the women in his life seemed as prickly as porcupines and he was the one who seemed to rub them both the wrong way. All he could do was pray.

* * *

Watching Thomas with his brothers and sister, Josephine envied his large family. After they’d told them about Philip’s sending for her as a mail-order bride and her uncle’s treachery, Josephine began to enjoy their laughter and teasing. During the meal, she observed Joy’s shyness but realized that Joy’s brothers did not have that affliction. They were all very easy natured and outgoing, from the youngest, Benjamin, to the oldest, Andrew.

She handed Rebecca the almost empty bowl of mashed potatoes. “What else can I do, Rebecca?”

“If you want to dry, you are more than welcome to do so.” Rebecca smiled at her.

Fay and Emma exchanged puzzled looks. “Um, then what are we supposed to do?” Emma asked.

“Whatever you want.” Rebecca grinned over her shoulder at them. “I’d like to get to know my new daughter-in-law over the dishes.”

Josephine swallowed. What did Rebecca want to know? She dreaded the questioning that would soon take place.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Fay walked from the room. Emma giggled and followed.

The rest of the lunch crowd fled the kitchen, including Rebecca’s husband, Seth. Rebecca laughed. “I guess I didn’t have to tell them at all.”

Josephine wanted to thrash her new husband. He’d been the first to leave the room.

Rebecca turned to face her. “Well, now that we’re alone, let’s get to know each other.” She offered a sweet smile and began to wash the dishes.

Josephine took a cup from her and asked, “So what do you want to know?”

“Anything you want to tell me.” Rebecca’s dimples showed as she looked at Josephine. “I just want to get to know you. I’m not your judge. I want to be your friend.”

Just like that? All she had to do was share a little about herself and Rebecca would be her friend? Josephine focused on the cup in her hands. “I’m not sure where to start.” Stalling, that was what she was doing, stalling, pure and simple.

“How about telling me where you are from?”

“St. Joseph, Missouri.” She set the dry cup aside and reached for the next.

“It must have been hard to leave there.”

Josephine thought about that for a moment. “Not really. Mama died seven years ago and Papa ran off four years later. I really don’t have any other family except my uncle and I don’t miss him at all.”

Rebecca placed another clean dish in the drying bucket. “What about friends?”

She shrugged. “I don’t have any.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Josephine laid the dishrag to the side and faced Rebecca. She didn’t want her mother-in-law’s pity. “I know this sounds strange to you, coming from this big family and all, but I really don’t have anyone who cares about me. No family, no friends, nobody.” She heard the crispness in her voice and almost wished she could take it back. But maybe this was just what Rebecca needed to hear. Not everyone had the perfect family.

Rebecca turned so quickly that Josephine took a step back from her. Her blue eyes blazed and her cheeks turned bright pink, anger laced her words. “Let me tell you about me. I grew up in an orphanage and had one brother. He was forced to leave me at the age of twelve and brave the streets alone and in the cold of winter. He froze to death. I was sent here to this farm to help my late husband John’s mother and father, not as a daughter but as a hired hand. John saw me, liked me and married me. Mainly to please his mother and father. We grew to love each other and we built this family. After John’s death, Seth arrived here as a Pony Express station manager. We fell in love and have kept this family together.”

Josephine opened her mouth to say she was sorry, but Rebecca held up her hand to silence whatever she thought Josephine was about to say. “During that time, I met Fay. Her husband had died and the owner of the house they were living in kicked her out. Emma came here as a slave. Fay and I, with the boys’ help, figured out a way to save her from her owners.”

Rebecca placed her damp hands on her hips. “We all have had a hard life, except maybe Joy. All of these young men that I call my sons were orphans. So, no, I don’t find your situation strange. What I do find strange is your need to lash out at someone who is offering you the hand of friendship and the chance at a new life.”

She deserved that. Josephine licked her lips and nodded. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed your life was any easier than mine has been.”

Rebecca pulled her into a tight hug. “Josephine, Thomas sees something in you that he likes. Believe it or not, I see it, too. The fact that you don’t trust anyone hasn’t gone unnoticed, but let me assure you, you now have a family and friends, if you will allow myself, Fay and Emma to get close enough to you.” She released Josephine and looked into her eyes.

Josephine wanted to believe her. She wanted to trust that they were all offering her the hand of family and friendship. But when her uncle had begun selling off their property and firing their help, her so-called friends had all distanced themselves from her. She had quickly learned the only one she could depend on and trust was herself. “I’ll try.” And she would, but it wouldn’t be easy.

“I’m sorry I lost my temper. It doesn’t happen often.”

Josephine smiled. From the shame-filled look on Rebecca’s face, she knew Rebecca meant her apology. “I was feeling sorry for myself, but I don’t anymore. I needed to hear about your past and will try to tell you more of mine without feeling sorry for myself as I do so.”

Rebecca nodded and then turned back to the washbasin. “We better get the rest of these dishes done before it’s suppertime.”

Josephine picked the drying towel back up and asked, “Has Thomas told you why we got married?”

“He did. I was hoping he’d wait until his family could attend the service.” Rebecca’s hands flew as she washed dishes.

“I’m sorry.”

Soft laughter filled the air. “It’s not your fault. Thomas could have told me yesterday when he was here that he was getting married today, but he didn’t. That’s not your fault, it’s his.”

Josephine didn’t argue. She spent the next hour telling Rebecca about her childhood, her mother’s sudden death and her father’s abandonment. They put away the last of the dishes and Josephine felt as if maybe she and Rebecca could be friends. She still had trouble trusting the other woman completely and knew she’d never trust Thomas. For now, it was nice knowing that his family was trying to befriend her.

They spent the rest of the afternoon with his family. Fay and Emma both thanked her for doing the dishes. Josephine learned that each household member had chores and that Emma and Fay were responsible for the lunch dishes, among other things.

Thomas’s brothers Andrew, Clayton and Benjamin were funny and kind. They didn’t hang about the house but left shortly after lunch to “get back to work,” as they all said. She liked them all, even Noah, who was the quietest and most serious of the brothers. Benjamin had told her that his other brother Jacob had moved to California and he missed him very much. Josephine felt sure that he was just as friendly as his other brothers and looked forward to meeting him someday, too.

While Fay put Joy down for a nap, Emma and Josephine talked on the front porch. Emma was a little shy and her eyes often searched the barnyard. Josephine couldn’t help but wonder if she was sweet on one of the Young men.

“I’m glad you married Thomas.” Emma picked at a piece of lint on her skirt.

Josephine smiled. “I am, too.”

Where had her new husband and his mother gotten off to, anyway? Was Rebecca telling him about their talk in the kitchen? Was she scolding him for marrying without inviting the family?

The sound of horse hooves pounding the ground drew her attention to the barn and yard in between. Clayton sat on a horse waiting for the Pony Express rider to arrive.

Her heart picked up speed as she remembered waiting for the mochila, a leather bag that held the mail, to be passed to her. The mochila had to be kept safe at all times and moving down the trail. What important letters and messages were in this particular mochila? That question ran through her mind every time it was passed to her.

Clayton caught it in midair and sped away. His horse knew its job and jumped in its hurry to continue on carrying the mail. The young man who had come to the end of his ride slid from his horse, much like she’d done several days before. His shoulders drooped and he slid to the ground.

He’s hurt. The words thundered in her mind. “Get Rebecca,” she yelled at Emma. Josephine raced off the porch to his side.

Andrew was already there. “Bill? Can you hear me?” He was picking him up with an arm around the man’s waist. Josephine moved to the other side and helped to lift him.

The young man didn’t answer.

“Should we carry him to the bunkhouse?”

Andrew looked at her, his eyebrows raised, but he simply nodded. “That’s probably for the best.”

Josephine grunted as the rider’s weight shifted more onto her when Andrew had to release him to open the bunkhouse door. Within a few moments they had him lying down on a bunk.

Bill groaned and his eyes fluttered open. “Thanks, Andrew.” He turned his head and looked at Josephine. “Thanks, pretty lady.” A crooked smile spread across his face.

Andrew groaned. “Billy, are you hurt? Or not?”

The young boy, who looked as if he were fourteen or younger, pulled his buckskin jacket back, revealing a bloodstained shirt. “Shot.” His eyes fluttered closed once more.

Josephine opened his shirt up further. “Yep, he’s been shot, all right. Turn him over, Andrew, we need to see if it went through or if he has a bullet in him.”

Rebecca and Thomas hurried into the bunkhouse. Thomas immediately helped Andrew in turning the young man onto his side.

“How is he?” Rebecca hurried to the cot.

Josephine saw that the bullet had gone completely through and sighed with relief. “I think he’s going to be fine. The bullet went all the way through. Gently turn him back over.” She looked up into her husband’s admiring eyes.