Pony Express Mail-Order Bride

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Emma looked everywhere but at Bella. “What made you think that? It could have been any of the boys.”

It was Bella’s turn to giggle. “Yes, but Andrew is the one who is sweet on you. So it made sense he would do something special like this for you.”

Emma grinned. “I don’t know that he is sweet on me, but he is very kind and understanding.” She started walking back up the path that led to the house. “We’d better hurry. Fay and Rebecca are waiting to fit your wedding dress.”

Bella groaned. The thought of spending more time being stuck with pins and told to stand up tall made her want to run back to the outhouse.

As if she could read her mind, Emma teased, “Don’t even think about going back to the outhouse.”

Bella discovered that the afternoon hadn’t been so bad after all. The three women worked on her dress while the children played outside. The men went about their chores and things seemed to settle down a bit. Perhaps it was because Emma had pulled the other two ladies aside and explained Bella’s feelings.

As soon as the dress was complete, the four women began to make dinner. The beans had been on the stove most of the day and the roast in the oven, so all they had to do was make the potatoes and other vegetables. Joy loved making cookies. She and Emma had made a fresh batch that morning, so even dessert was prepared.

Bella found herself looking up the road for Philip’s return. He’d gone to tell his brother and sister-in-law that they were getting married. If he didn’t hurry back, he was going to miss his own wedding.

Anxiety hit her like a punch in the stomach. Had he left for good? Was he planning on coming back? Bella told herself she was being ridiculous, but the sudden fear was very real. She hated being this dependent on another person. Maybe she should talk to Philip about getting a job in town, once they were married. Would he go for such a thing? Or would he want his wife to stay home and pretend that theirs was a real marriage?

Chapter Eight (#uf26b063b-65f3-57d8-808f-7581143f8c29)

Philip, Josephine and Hazel arrived at the Young farm a little before dusk. He was thankful that the women had agreed to ride their own horses instead of bringing a wagon. It would have taken much longer to get back if they had brought the wagon.

Caleb spotted him and came running. “Philip! You came back!”

He dropped from the horse. “Of course I came back.”

Caleb stubbed his toe against a small rock and sent it sailing across the yard. “Well, I wasn’t so sure you’d be back.”

Philip kneeled down in front of the little boy. Mark ran up to stand beside his brother. “As long as the Lord will allow me to live and breathe, I will never leave you.” He pulled both boys into a hug.

“I told you he’d come back,” Benjamin said, coming to a halt beside them. “Hi, Aunt Josephine, Aunt Hazel.”

Both women slid off the backs of their horses. “Hello, Benjamin.” Josephine gave him a hug.

When she released him, Hazel grabbed the boy. “Benny Young. You have got to stop growing.” His head came to her chest. She released him, then turned her attention to the other two boys. “You must be Caleb and Mark.”

At their nods, Philip made the introductions. “Boys, this is your aunt Josephine and aunt Hazel.”

“Oh, Philip, they are adorable.” Josephine smiled down at them.

“Now, Josephine, don’t embarrass the boys. I want you to meet Bella, so let’s head to the house.” Philip handed the horses’ reins to Benjamin. “Do you mind taking care of the horses for us, Benny?”

“Naw, we’ll take care of them. Won’t we, fellas?”

Caleb and Mark nodded eagerly. Philip watched them lead the horses into the barn. It broke his heart that the boys hadn’t thought he’d come back. Had the same thought crossed Bella’s mind? He hoped not.

Philip opened the door for the ladies and then followed them inside. The smell of roast and potatoes greeted his hungry belly and it growled its approval.

Bella came through the kitchen door with a wide grin. Her hair looked a little mussed and her checks red. Was that joy he saw in her eyes? Had she missed him?

Don’t kid yourself, Phil. Your family is overwhelming and she’s simply happy to see a familiar face, he told himself.

He stepped around Josephine and Hazel. “Bella, I’d like you to meet my sister in-law, Josephine, and our next-door neighbor Hazel. Ladies, this beautiful young woman is my future wife, Bella.”

Bella stepped up beside him and grabbed his hand. She held on as if she was drowning.

Philip looked down at her, puzzled. Her eyes had gone from joy to wariness in the few moments it had taken him to make the introductions. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“Oh, we are so happy to meet you,” Josephine said as she offered Bella a quick hug.

Hazel stood back and eyed the younger woman. She gently pulled Josephine back. “Josie, give the girl some breathing room. She looks like she might just pass out from all this attention.”

Bella squared her shoulders and smiled tightly. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

Josephine’s expression said she didn’t understand why there was so much tension in the room. Philip didn’t really understand it, either. What was wrong with Bella?

She squeezed his hand tighter. “I’m sorry. I guess I should have warned Philip that I’m not very good around a lot of people. The last couple of days have been a little stressful for me. It’s not you. I just...”

Hazel smiled. “Girl, there is no reason to explain. There’s nothing wrong with you. I don’t care much for crowds myself. That’s why I live on the outskirts instead of in town.”

“Is that Hazel’s voice I hear out here?” Rebecca asked, coming through the kitchen door. She wiped her hands on her apron and hurried into the room for hugs.

Philip watched Bella’s face. He noted the tightness around her mouth and the paleness of her skin. Gently he tugged on her hand. In a soft voice he asked, “Would you like to go with me to the barn to check on the boys?”

“That would be lovely.” She sighed. Relief washed away a little of the tightness on her face.

The other women were busy catching up as they hugged each other and oohed over new hairstyles and dresses. “If you ladies will excuse us, Bella and I are going to go check on the boys.”

“You kids go on,” Hazel said, smiling at them with understanding.

Rebecca called over her shoulder, “Hurry back. Philip, we still need to make sure that your suit will fit.”

“Ma, I’m not wearing a suit.” Philip propelled Bella from the house.

Bella giggled. “Do you really think you are going to get out of wearing a suit to your wedding?”

“Yep. I hate being trussed up in layers of clothes. I’m going to wear my jeans, boots and a new shirt. It’s blue. I got it while we were in Dove Creek.” He winked at her and headed away from the barn and toward the creek.

“I thought we were going to the barn.”

“We were, but now that I know she wants me to hurry back, I think I’ll go somewhere else.” Philip grabbed her hand and made a run for the tree line.

Bella laughed as they cleared the yard. “You are a mess, Philip Young.”

He slowed down but continued to hold on to her hand. “How were things while I was gone?” Philip realized that he’d taken Bella from the house so fast that she didn’t have time to get her coat. He released her hand, slipped out of his coat and draped it around her shoulders.

“Thanks.” She snuggled into the warm jacket. “It was all right. I just hadn’t expected there to be so many people about. Your mother invited the whole town to our wedding.”

Philip wasn’t surprised. “And I’m guessing she plans on using the barn for the ceremony and party afterward?”

Bella nodded. “People have been arriving to ask what they can bring.”

He led her to the water’s edge. “Or came to see the new bride.” He kneeled down and picked up a rock. The water was frozen, so his thought of skipping rocks vanished as quickly as it had formed.

“Maybe. I’ve met more ladies in the last two days than I have in two months.”

He frowned. “Really?”

She smiled. “When I say met, I mean spoken to and exchanged names.”

“Oh.” He tossed the rock across the frozen surface. “I’m sorry about that. We probably should have talked about the wedding more before we arrived.”

Bella sat down on an old log. “Yeah, I would have preferred a small wedding with just your family present.”

“I understand. I’m sorry Ma has gone all out.” He stood and walked back to her. “She means well.”

She nodded. “I know. And after tomorrow this will be behind us.” Bella stood. “We probably should head back.”

Philip chuckled. “You’re probably right. She’ll send a search party after us if we stay gone much longer.” Even though he laughed, Philip couldn’t help but feel bad that Bella was anticipating the wedding being over. It wasn’t that he wanted the wedding to be special for him. After all, he didn’t even want to get married. But he felt that Bella should have the wedding day she wanted.

They started walking back to the house. “Have you always been quiet?” Philip asked, tucking his hands deep into his front pockets.

“I don’t think I’m quiet when I’m with only two or three people, but I suppose I have been.” She looked off into the distance. “That’s one of the reasons I love baking so much.”

He didn’t understand what baking had to do with being quiet.

His confusion must have shown on his face, because Bella explained. “When I worked at the bakery, I stayed in the kitchen and baked. Most of the time there were only two people besides me at the bakery and they were up front.” She looked up at him and then continued with a shrug. “My day started early, so going to work there weren’t many people about. Then when I was done, I’d go back to my home and read or sleep.”

“I see. So you really aren’t used to being around others.” He almost felt sorry for her. Philip liked being with other people and talking, joking and laughing.

Bella shook her head. “No, until I got the boys, I didn’t have to worry about anyone else and I enjoyed my own company.”

He pulled his hand from his pocket and grasped hers. “Well, after our wedding we’ll head back to the relay station. Thomas and Josephine are the only two other people that live there.”

“So, we’ll be living with them?”

Philip frowned. They really hadn’t talked much about life after marriage. “Yes, the house has two bedrooms, so we’ll have one and Thomas and Josephine will have the other. My room is small, but the four of us will be fine until we can make other arrangements. I’m sure the boys and I can make pallets.”

She scowled but nodded. Bella remained silent the rest of the way to the house. Philip hadn’t thought that she wouldn’t want to live with his brother and sister-in-law once they were married. “Let’s check on the boys before heading inside,” he suggested when they came to the yard.

They went to the barn. When he pulled the door open, Philip gasped. Everything had been cleared in the center, looking much like it had at Christmas. Only now white streamers hung from the rafters and big yellow bows made from fabric decorated the stall doors. The horses had all been moved to the very back of the barn. Several tables stood off to the right—Philip assumed this was for the food that the neighbors and his mother planned on cooking up.

The boys were nowhere in sight and Philip realized it was suppertime as the triangle rang out. “Those little rascals are already in the house, probably at the table.” He smiled at Bella.

“Probably. My nephews love to eat.” She turned and walked out the door.

Philip followed. He pulled the barn door closed and watched as his brothers arrived from all directions. They laughed and pushed at each other. Thankfully there were only three of them at home now.

Seth rounded the barn beside him. He put his arm around Philip’s shoulders. “Are you ready for the big day tomorrow?”

Bella looked over her shoulder and grinned but continued walking. Philip wasn’t sure if she could hear them, or if she’d picked up her pace because she wanted to give them privacy.

“Hey, Bella. Can I have a quiet word with you?” Andrew asked, hurrying to her side.

Philip wondered what Andrew wanted with Bella but knew he needed to respond to Seth’s question. “I’m ready for it all to be over and just to start a simple life with her.”

Seth nodded. “I understand, son. That’s how I felt when I married your mother. But truth is married life isn’t always simple.” He stopped with his arm still around Philip’s shoulders.

Philip stopped also and turned his head to look at his stepfather. “Is there something you want to say, Seth?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. Your mother is worried about you.”

“I can’t imagine why.” Philip shook his head. “Bella is a nice girl. The boys have been well behaved. What gives her cause to worry?”