Train Station Bride Page 4

  Julia walked through her new home. At first she saw little until her eyes adjusted to the dimness. When all was visible, she realized there was little to see. Two chairs in front of a fireplace. No paint or wallpaper on the walls. No pictures. No pillows. No curtains. Absolutely nothing to remind her of her Boston home.

  Julia followed Jake into the kitchen and was pleased to see at least this room had the makings of a normal room. A large wooden table with six chairs, a stove and sink. A pie case full of cobwebs. But the sun shone brightly through the windows, and Julia was glad of that. It was at that moment that Julia realized there would probably be no hired help for the house. Mr. Snelling had written that a widowed woman came every morning to clean and prepare dinner. Julia would only have had to serve and do the dishes. Those chores alone seemed at that time a daunting task. She hadn’t understood daunting until now.

  “Do you employ any inside help, Mr. Shelling?” she asked.

  “It’s Jake, Julia. We’re married. Inside help?” he asked. “You mean like a cleaning woman or a cook?”

  She nodded.

  “Didn’t make much sense to have somebody clean up after me. I’ve been taking care of things for myself for a long time. I eat at the bunkhouse. Woman from town does come and do the washing once a week,” he replied.

  Julia slowly sat down on one of the chairs. She looked around the kitchen and knew she had little idea where to begin. “May I have a glass of water?”

  Her husband lifted the pump handle and let the water run into the sink for a while before filling a glass. “My sisters and their families will be here in about an hour. I suppose we ought to know something about each other by then. I’d say things will be a little awkward since they were expecting a six-foot tall Swedish woman.”

  Julia gulped. “Your family’s coming to call tonight? In an hour?”

  He nodded. “You first.”

  “Me first?”

  “Tell me something about yourself. You’re my wife,” her husband said.

  “But we’re getting company. I should change, I should . . .” Julia replied.

  “Just family. And your dressed fancier than my sisters will be. Tell me why you came here to marry Snelling.”

  “Well, Mr. Snelling placed an ad in the Boston Globe for a wife last year. I answered, and we corresponded. He seemed like a kind man in his letters and I agreed to come here and marry him. And help him take care of his mother.”

  “And?”

  “And what?” she asked.

  “Come on, Julia. Your family obviously comes from money. Stylish clothes,” he said and swept a hand from her head to her toes. “Two trunks full of stuff. Four cases. You’re a lady. You’re running from something. What is it?”

  Julia felt her cheeks redden. “I don’t know what you mean.” Her lip trembled, and she lowered her lashes.

  “If you’re running from the law or another husband, I want to know right now,” he said.

  Julia’s mouth dropped. “How dare you! How dare you imply that I’m some sort of fugitive or . . . or runaway.”

  “Ok, Ok,” he said.

  “I came here with honest intentions of marrying Mr. Snelling. That’s all. And what about you? You could be a murderer for all I know,” she said.

  “I’m no murderer. Don’t imagine Pastor Phillips would have married any woman to a murderer. Tell me about your family.”

  Certainly he hadn’t heard of the Crawford family or her own eccentricities this far west. Julia couldn’t imagine what else could concern him. But he was her husband now and she conceded he had some right to know.

  “My family? What do you want to know?” Julia asked.

  * * *

  The whole long, silent ride home he’d wondered what brought this woman to Cedar Ridge. He didn’t want a sheriff or a husband showing up at his door in a month or so. Her denial of any wrongdoing seemed honest enough. But now she was blushing and bowing her head with a simple question about her family. He didn’t think the subject was that complicated or should cause a woman to whisper as if she were ashamed.

  “Are your parents alive? Do you have brothers and sisters?” he asked.

  “William and Jane Crawford are my parents. Their home is in Boston. My sister Jolene is the oldest and married. She and her husband Turner Crenshaw have one child, William. My sister Jennifer is twenty-one. Jillian is ten.”

  Jake watched intently as she gave far from a warm description of her family. Her face lit up only once when she mentioned the youngest sister. Jillian. An odd wistful look betrayed her when she named her sister’s husband.

  “All J’s, huh?” he said.

  “Pardon? Oh yes, all J’s. I always thanked God my mother’s name was not Zelda,” his wife replied.

  Jake laughed out loud. It was the first time he had felt like laughing in a long time. And certainly the first time today. “I can understand why.” But his bride wasn’t laughing. His laugh rolled to a chuckle and then to silence. “Is that all there is to tell?”

  “We, excepting myself of course, are a thin attractive family. My father owns a large, successful bank. My mother and Jolene are perfect hostesses and spouses. Jennifer has every unmarried man, and a few married ones, for miles trailing her like puppies. She’ll choose soon, I imagine.” She smiled and added, “And Jillian, well, she is lively and bright and especially beautiful, even for our family.”

  What an odd woman, he thought. No reaction visible except when she mentions her younger sister. And her opinion of herself was skewed. “You are a very beautiful woman, Julia. I can hardly believe you don’t realize that.”

  She looked him square in the eye. “No need to do that,” she said.

  Jake sat back in his chair. “Do what?”

  “It is really unnecessary.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re a very attractive woman. Not that that sort of thing matters much to me or anyone in my family. But still I have eyes in my head,” Jake said.

  “Tell me about your family. About your sisters. I can hardly imagine them welcoming me when I am nearly stealing their inheritance, but still if I knew something about them, I could smooth the way.”

  His bride’s face was flushed and having only known her for a short time, he wasn’t positive, but he would have guessed, she was spitting mad. Not many women of his acquaintance took exception to a compliment. It was then he realized what she had said. “Stealing their inheritance?” he repeated.

  “This land. The farm. If you hadn’t married, they’d be entitled to part of it.”

  Jake was more than a little irritated that his new bride would think so little of his sisters without even having met them. “They have farms of their own. I told you I helped Flossie and Gloria both when they got married. They don’t think of my bride as stealing their inheritance. What a damn fool thing to say.”

  “Obviously you know little about woman, Mr. Shelling,” she replied.

  Jake stood and looked down at her, angry. “I know my sisters, Julia. I raised them. They could care less about their ‘inheritance.’”

  “I didn’t mean to insult you or your sisters. It’s just that I know how women’s minds work. What’s important to them. Not that it’s all so important to me but still I understand,” she replied.

  Jake would have asked what was important to women if he hadn’t heard the wagons pulling into the yard. This was going to be awkward to be sure, and he had less a clear idea of his wife now then the moment he’d slipped the ring on her finger. He stood and looked out the kitchen window.

  “They’re here.”

  * * *

  Julia’s stomach rolled. She prayed these sisters didn’t care about their inheritance. About a woman who married the first man she saw when she got off the train. About a woman running from herself and her sister’s husband. Not that they’d ever know that story, but still, Julia knew it. She stood straightened her dress and wished she’d taken time to wipe the dust from her face and hands. The
screen door in the kitchen flew open with a bang. Jake crouched down and two dark-haired children ran into his arms. He stood, pretended to stagger, and they giggled.

  Jake kissed both children. “I suppose you’re mad at your Uncle Jake ‘cause your mother kept you home from the Founder’s Day Celebration to meet my bride.”

  “We were,” the boy said. “But we’re not anymore. Mama said your new wife talks different than us.”

  “And she came from far, far away just to marry you,” the little girl said while covering Jake’s face with kisses. “I told Mama I would a married you.”

  “You’re going to meet a man a lot better looking than your Uncle Jake one of these days.” Jake slid the children down his body to the floor. He turned them to face Julia. “These are my sister Flossie and her husband Harry’s kids. Danny is seven and Millie is five. This is your Aunt Julia.”

  Both children looked up at him in confusion. The door opened again, and two women and two men came into the kitchen. Before Julia’s husband could explain further, one of the women waddled over to her.

  “Hel-lo.” She smiled and pointed a finger at her chest as she shouted. “Gloria.”

  “She’s foreign, not deaf,” the younger of the two men said.

  Julia looked at the smiling pregnant woman. Her husband’s youngest sister, she imagined. She had the same dark hair as Jake and big green eyes. Her husband was probably the blonde and handsome one. All Julia could think of was that their children would be beautiful, like William. But before she could speak, the other woman approached. She was thinner-faced and would have been passably attractive but for a huge scar that ran from her eye to her mouth. The tightened skin made her bottom lip turn down on one side. Her eyes, though, Julia thought were the happiest she’d ever seen. Julia fought to keep from staring at the disfigurement.

  The woman took Julia’s hand and smiled. “Inga, I want to welcome you to our family. I’m Flossie, and that’s my husband Harry. Gloria’s the one who screamed in your ear, and that’s her husband Will. I imagine you already met the kids. They ran in ahead of us.” Flossie turned to Jake. “Do you think she’s getting any of this?”

  Danny pulled on his mother’s skirt. “Her name’s not Inga, Ma.”

  “Why doesn’t everybody sit down,” Jake said. “There’s something I’ve got to explain. Come sit down, Julia.”

  “Julia!”

  “I thought you said her name was Inga?”

  “I told ya, Ma.”

  Julia sat down at the seat Jake indicated. He stood behind her. Flossie and Harry sat on the right. Gloria and Will on Julia’s left. The children stood between their mother and father.

  “With the Founder’s Day Celebration there was a lot of confusion and noise at the station.” Jake tapped Julia’s shoulders. “This is, was, Miss Crawford, not Miss Crawper. She corresponded with Jacob Snelling and came here to marry him.”

  “So what happened?” Gloria asked. “Where is Miss Crawper? From Sweden.”

  “As you know I took Pastor Phillips to the station with me. In all that confusion and noise I married Miss Crawford from Boston, not Miss Crawper,” Jake said.

  Flossie whispered the conclusion. “Jake Shelling.”

  Julia did not realize the situation could sound worse than it was. But it did. Jake’s sisters and the children stared at her and Jake alternately. His brothers-in-law looked at each other and then stood simultaneously. Will followed Harry out the door. Julia had no idea why until she heard their muffled laughter.

  “Sorry,” Flossie muttered.

  Gloria leaned forward and covered Julia’s hand with her own. “You ought to thank your lucky stars that station was busy.” She scrunched her face in disgust. “Jacob Snelling and his mother. Yee gads.” Gloria brightened. “Yes, you certainly were lucky the station was busy.”

  “What happened to Miss Crawper?” Flossie asked.

  “She and Mr. Snelling may have come to an understanding,” Julia said.

  “And we know what the understanding will be,” Gloria said. “Wait on old Mrs. Snelling and listen to her complain.”

  “Gloria!” Flossie said.

  “It’s true. You know it’s true, Flossie.”

  Flossie tilted her head towards Julia and looked at Gloria. “She was Mr. Snelling’s fiancée. Try and consider Miss Crawford’s feelings.” Flossie faced Julia. “I imagine this has been quite a day for you. And not all good. Other than marrying my brother, of course.”

  “It has been a very trying day,” Julia said.

  Will and Harry came in the kitchen and turned around just as quickly and ran outside. Flossie smiled at Julia as their laughter rang through the house. “Our husbands have taken great joy from Jake’s marriage pursuits.”

  “Pursuits?” Julia asked. She looked up over her shoulder to Jake’s face. “Have you been married before?”

  Before Jake could answer, Flossie stood and pointed to Julia’s trunks in the hallway. “You’re not even settled.” Flossie yelled out the open window. “Will, Harry, come carry Julia’s things upstairs.”

  Chapter Five

  Julia was ushered up a dark staircase. Will and Harry carried her trunks and bags. The men left the room as quickly as they entered leaving Julia alone with her new sisters-in-law. A light colored quilt covered the bed. Flossie was busy opening windows and pulling back curtains.

  “This was my room, growing up,” Gloria said. “Seems like a hundred years ago.”

  “You’ve been married and out of this room less than a year,” Flossie said.

  Gloria trailed her hand over the spread on the bed. She seated herself with a groan and looked at Julia. “Do you like it?”

  “It’s very nice.”

  Nothing like her room back at home but still sunny and pleasant. Julia wanted to blurt out questions about her new husband but opted instead to smile pleasantly as if she moved into a new state, a new home, and married the wrong man everyday.

  “Jake wasn’t married before,” Flossie said and told a story about a woman named Valerie Morton to Julia.

  “Jake’s a wonderful man. The best brother, the best uncle, but he’s not inclined to trust or forgive mistakes easily. Especially ones he makes,” Flossie said. “I suppose ‘cause he had to grow up so quick when Ma and Pa died. Mistakes could cost crops or livestock or a life out here.”

  “I’m a mistake then?” Julia asked.

  “I don’t think so. But I’ll bet he’s rethinking taking the minister to the train station,” Flossie said. “More so because I was here this morning trying to talk him out of it.”

  “I wish you’d succeeded,” Julia said. She looked at the uncomfortable faces before her. “I didn’t mean any insult to your brother, but it is quite a drastic change in my plans.”

  Flossie sat down beside her. “Tell us your plans. What brought you all the way here to marry Mr. Snelling?”

  “Well,” Julia said, blushing, “I imagine that’s obvious. I am twenty-seven.”

  “You felt you had to come to South Dakota to marry?” Gloria asked. “Weren’t there any men in Boston to marry?”

  Flossie laughed. “You sound as if you’re asking if there were chickens to buy, Gloria. Maybe Julia didn’t like any of the men in Boston.”

  “You know what I mean. And anyway,” Gloria said as she picked up the edge of Julia’s gown, “looks like your folks were comfortable. Weren’t there parties and what not?”

  “Many parties. But I was hardly the belle of ball,” Julia said. “I have three sisters.”

  “Not the belle of the ball? With your hair and clothes? You’re so pretty. There must have been plenty of men interested,” Gloria said.

  “That’s kind of you to say,” Julia replied. It had been a while since she heard such a sentiment and spoken honestly like Jillian or Eustace would have done. “My sisters are very beautiful. Suitors seem to flock their way.”

  Flossie let out a deep sigh. “Well, this is hardly what you planned. But as for Jak
e’s plans, it isn’t much different than he intended.”

  “He was going to marry a woman he had never met. Knew nothing about. That’s what I’ve gathered from his comments and yours. Is it true?” Julia asked.

  “That pretty much sums it up,” Gloria said, shaking her head.

  Julia wondered about the man that was to be her husband for better or worse. He would be satisfied knowing nothing about his lifetime mate before marriage.

  “I find it hard to imagine marrying someone I know nothing about.” Julia turned and stared out the window. “Although that is exactly what I’ve done.”

  Flossie picked up her hand and squeezed. “You have to understand Jake to understand why he was willing to marry this way. When our parents died, he was just sixteen-years-old, I was nine and Gloria was three. Mother and Father had bought this land sight unseen. They had some money to build a house and hire some men to get the lands cleared, but they died within the first year. The hands Father had hired ran off, and no one would work for us. Three kids, really. I begged Jake to sell it all and move to town. But he’d have none of it. And now I’m glad he held his ground.”

  Flossie paused and stared, obviously remembering those first hard years. “But I’m off the subject. You see, Jake spent his life raising us, working the farm, worrying about money and crops. He never went to a dance or a social. He made sure we went and had a new dress too, but he never went himself. I don’t think he has any idea what love or marriage is about. Jake gets an idea in his head figures out how to do it and just does it. This time the idea was a bride.”

  “That’s Jake all right,” Gloria said. “I told him he couldn’t get a bride like he buys a new mare or haggles over another piece of land. He just wouldn’t listen.”

  “I think I understand,” Julia said.

  “You won’t understand for awhile. Till you get to know Jake.” Flossie said. “He told me right after Gloria got married it was time for him to marry. Time for a son to pass his land to and a helpmate. And he certainly won’t admit it, but he’s lonely.”