Mail-Order Bride Ink: Dear Mr. White Read online

Mr. Van Cleet pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. “Here you are, my dear.” He glanced around the dining room. “Oh, Sally? Might we have some more tea, please?”

  Sally Upton hurried to their table, smiled at Lily, snatched up the teapot and headed for the kitchen.

  “Now,” Mr. Van Cleet said. “Are you excited about your nuptials?”

  “To tell you the truth, I’m mostly nervous,” she said.

  “That’s understandable,” said Sadie – or was it Belle? Oh heavens, she must be more nervous about her impeding wedding than she thought. She was already forgetting who was who. “You are about to get married.”

  “Yes indeed,” Lily said with a smile. “Thank heavens everyone keeps telling me this is normal, or I’d be worried.”

  The table erupted in laughter. “You’d be nervous whether you were a mail-order bride or not,” the other woman said. Belle, that was it – Belle from Boston, Sadie from the South. That would help her keep them straight. “I, for one, am glad I wasn’t a mail-order bride. You’re much braver than I.”

  Before Lily could respond, Mrs. Van Cleet chimed in. “Tell us, dear, where are you from?”

  “Charleston, South Carolina. By way of Denver.”

  “What brought you to Denver?” one of the Englishmen asked – Harrison, she thought.

  She put her hands in her lap and stared at the tabletop. “The war,” she said simply.

  Apparently it was enough. The couples glanced at each other and nodded sagely.

  Sally returned with a fresh pot of tea and set it on the table. “Will there be anything else?”

  “No, Sally, thank you,” Mr. Van Cleet said.

  Sally smiled did a quick study of the rest of the patrons, then her eyes suddenly lit up and her smile broadened. “Well now, you’re just in time!”

  Everyone turned to see Oscar strolling over, grinning like the cat who’d stolen the cream. “Well, well, if it isn’t Oscar!” Mr. Van Cleet said happily. “Come join us, son.”

  “‘Fraid I cain’t just now, Mr. Van Cleet.”

  “Whyever not?” one of the Englishmen asked.

  Oscar’s stiffened, but the grin remained. “On account me and Lily Fair here are gonna go get married.”

  Oscar watched his future bride turn white as a sheet. Maybe he should have waited until they were in private to say that. But darn it, he was as ready as he’d ever be and wanted to get this done. He was becoming more nervous by the minute and feared he’d do something foolish.

  It was bad enough some folks, folks who didn’t know him, thought he was dumb as an ox based solely on him being about the size of one. Even now, he recognized the glimmer of judgment in several men’s eyes – strangers, guests of the hotel. Some looked like they’d be more at home down in Mulligan’s Saloon, but he knew better than to judge on appearances.

  Oscar focused on something more important to him than the opinions of strangers – his bride. “Unless of course you’re too tired?” he tried as Sally poured her a cup of tea.

  Lily Fair looked up at him. “I’m fine.”

  He sighed in relief. Maybe she wanted to get it over with too.

  “Jolly good!” Colin Cooke said with a huge smile on his face. “You don’t mind if we serve as witnesses, do you, Oscar? It’s not every day we have a wedding in town, you know.”

  “Unless you wanted a private affair,” Sadie Cooke quickly added. “We don’t want to impose, but we would love to join you.”

  Oscar looked at everyone at the table, all of whom were looking hopefully back. Oh, why not? he thought. “If it’s all right by Lily Fair, it’s all right by me.” She might want to keep their wedding small, after all.

  She too glanced around the table. “I … I think it’s fine.”

  Cyrus Van Cleet clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. “Wonderful! We’ll go to the church, you two can get married, then we can celebrate with a wedding supper – my treat?”

  Oscar laughed at the older man’s enthusiasm. “Like I said before, it’s all right by me if it’s all right by her.”

  She gazed up at him and smiled. “Yes, I think I’d like that.”

  Good, he thought to himself. The poor thing didn’t even have a wedding dress, but he could at least give her a few guests and a wedding banquet. And maybe she would make friends with the Cooke women and Mrs. Van Cleet and Annie King … who knew?

  Cyrus jumped to his feet. “Wonderful! I’ll go let Sally know what’s afoot and we can be off.” He hurried toward the kitchen.

  “My,” Lily Fair said, her hand on her chest. “I think he’s more excited than we are.”

  “That’s ‘cause he’s not as nervous as we are,” Oscar pointed out.

  The Cookes laughed as Harrison stood, came around the table and slapped Oscar on the back. “Congratulations,” he said. “After the wedding, Colin and I would like to speak with you about something.”

  Oscar nodded, but didn’t ask what it was about. At this point, he was so nervous that whatever Harrison said would likely go in one ear and out the other.

  The rest of the party got up and prepared to leave just as Cyrus popped out of the kitchen. He went straight to Oscar. “All right, it’s all arranged. Let’s go have ourselves a wedding!”

  The little group left the hotel, Oscar leading the way. He held Lily Fair’s hand rather than escort her arm-in-arm. He liked the feel of her small hand in his, and thought the less formal gesture might relax her. Their guests trailed along behind, laughing and talking, lending the walk a festive air. He hoped Lily liked it.

  Speaking of which … “Do ya mind if I call you Lily Fair? Or should I just call ya Lily?”

  “I don’t mind either way. Most folks simply say Lily.” She looked up at him, but only for a moment.

  Worry pricked him. “Everythin’ all right?”

  She swallowed hard and nodded.

  He squeezed her hand lightly. “I’m jumpy as a junebug myself.”

  She turned to him in surprise. “You are?”

  “‘Course I am. Maybe more than you, seeing as I ain’t never been married before. At least ya have some practice.”

  “Yes, I suppose.” She sounded sad, and stared at the ground.

  Oh darn, had he done it again?! He knew she was a widow and her husband had died in the war, but that was it. Maybe he hadn’t been such a good husband, or he had and she still grieved for him. To Oscar, her past was just that, the past. He could leave it that way if she could. But maybe he’d better ask her about it sometime.

  He was discovering there was a whole lot about marrying a woman that nobody’d told him. Every time he opened his mouth, it was like walking through a cow pasture – he really had to watch where he stepped.

  When they reached the church, Oscar glanced over his shoulder and noticed they’d picked up a few extra wedding guests – Wilfred and Irene Dunnigan (he should’ve figured on them showing up), Patrick and Mary Mulligan who owned the saloon, and Doc and Grandma Waller, one of the town’s founding families and oldest souls. He stopped to let them catch up.

  “Thanks for waiting,” Doc said happily when he reached Oscar. “Me and Grandma wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

  “Land sakes, Oscar,” Grandma Waller said, “why didn’t you tell us you were getting married today?”

  Oscar shrugged. “To tell ya the truth, Grandma, I didn’t know ‘til half an hour ago myself.” He looked at Wilfred and Irene. “But being as how this is Clear Creek, news travels fast.”

  “I didn’t say a word to anyone!” Wilfred said in his own defense. “Preacher Jo came into the store and asked Irene and me to be witnesses. You know as well as everyone else in town that I’m always a witness.”

  Oscar chuckled to himself and looked at Lily. “Wilfred never misses a weddin’ if he can help it, so Preacher Jo finally made him the official witness for all ceremonies.” He turned to Wilfred. “I did mean to ask ya earlier – I just forgot.”

  “Aw shucks, Os
car, you don’t have to ask. You know I’d be there for you anyway.”

  “That’s mighty nice of ya, Wilfred – thanks. You too, Irene.”

  Irene squinted up at him. “Don’t mention it.”

  Oscar gave Lily’s hand a reassuring squeeze as he led her into the church, their little company following along behind them. Patrick Mulligan had slipped into the sanctuary ahead of them and was speaking with Preacher Jo. He briefly wondered what they were talking about, then pushed it aside. He needed to concentrate on saying his vows correctly when the time came. He hoped he didn’t get tongue-tied.

  He tried to distract himself by admiring his future bride. “There’s Preacher Jo,” he finally said. “Real nice fella.”

  “Is the woman at the piano his wife?”

  “Yep. That’s Annie. You’ll like her.”

  “I’ve liked everyone I’ve met here so far,” she said softly.

  “We don’t get to town often, but when we do we have a good time.” Oscar felt a pang of guilt that Lily Fair wouldn’t see them again for quite a while, and then only if she came to town with him for supplies. That, of course, depended on how busy they were at the stage stop and if Ma could spare her.

  She looked at him and smiled weakly, but said nothing.

  He’d have to manage it somehow – he couldn’t very well deprive his new wife of the company of women friends. True, plenty of women passengers came through the stage stop, but you couldn’t make friends with someone who was there for only a night. Ma was willing to settle for just passing acquaintances, but that didn’t mean his new wife would be. “What I mean is, go ahead and make friends today if ya can. We’ll see them again. I promise. And ya can always write letters in the in-between times.”

  She smiled and nodded, looking over at Sadie and Belle. “I’d like that.”

  He let go of her hand and nodded in their direction. “Go ahead, talk with them. Looks like Mr. Mulligan’s still speakin’ with Preacher Jo anyhow.”

  She glanced at the front of the church where the two men stood talking. “Thank you. I would like to speak with them. It’s just that I… I’m not sure what I’d say.”

  Oscar shrugged. “Whatever comes to mind, I guess. I know Sadie and Belle are both good cooks and belong to the ladies’ sewing circle in town. Maybe ya can find out when the next meetin’ is.”

  Her eyes met his, their soft brown sympathetic as if to say thanks for trying. “But what good would it do?”

  “Well, Willie the stagecoach driver can deliver instructions from them. Ya can sew quilt squares or whatever they need and he’ll bring them to town. That way ya can still be involved.”

  Her eyes brightened at the suggestion. “Hmmm. I hadn’t thought of that before.”

  “Willie’s kinda our connection to the world. How else do ya think we know what’s going on in town?”

  Her face broke into a warm smile. “Thank you, Oscar.” She turned and went to join the other women.

  Chapter 5

  “Are you ready?” Annie King asked.

  Lily stared at the minister’s wife, a pretty woman with thick chestnut hair and green eyes. She was polite and cordial and the other women appeared to love her. But her neck was covered with old scars, and it was all Lily could do not to stare open-mouthed at them. She certainly wasn’t going to ask her how she got them. “As ready as I can be,” she replied, then looked at her careworn clothing and blushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry I don’t have a wedding dress.”

  “No need to apologize,” Annie said. “Josiah and I happened to have the time to see you and Oscar wed tonight, and decided to take advantage of it.”

  “Still,” Lily hedged, “I wish I had one.”

  “From what I know of Oscar,” Sadie cut in, “I don’t think he minds one bit.”

  Belle added a small giggle. “I have to agree with Sadie. I think Oscar’s too nervous to fret over it, so neither should you.”

  The women turned to look at her intended fidgeting next to Preacher Jo, his eyes darting all over. Lily knew he was giving her time to get acquainted with them before the vows. The saloonkeeper, Mr. Mulligan, was now busy speaking with Mr. Dunnigan, who owned the mercantile. They looked like they were telling each other jokes.

  “Don’t worry about a thing,” Mrs. Dunnigan told her. “Oscar White’s a good man, and his mother’s a fine woman. You’re marrying into a wonderful family.”

  Lily studied the cantankerous older woman, who obviously had a gentle side. “Thank you, Mrs. Dunnigan. That’s nice to hear.”

  “Don’t mention it,” she snapped.

  Lily hid a smile and glanced once more at Oscar. He caught her look and nodded. It was time.

  Before she knew it, she stood before the preacher next to her future husband. The Cookes, Dunnigans, Van Cleets and their other impromptu guests sat in the pews behind them. Annie took her seat at the piano and played a hymn, and they all began to sing. Their happy voices brought tears to her eyes. They didn’t have to be there, nor sing a pretty hymn for her wedding. But here they were, singing their hearts out and sounding like they were glad to be doing it.

  Oscar reached over and touched Lily’s hand. She shyly took his hand and was soon holding onto it for dear life. If she thought she was nervous before, that was nothing compared to how she felt now.

  When Preacher Jo started speaking, it took her a minute or two to realize he was! She saw Oscar nodding now and then, and thought maybe she should do the same. Then his next words came as a shock: “I do.” She felt her knees grow weak. Surely they couldn’t be that far into their vows already!

  But they were, and soon words were spilling out of her mouth right after the preacher spoke them. Then … “I, I do,” she gasped.

  “Then, by golly,” Preacher Jo said with a smile, “by the power vested in me by Almighty God and the state of Oregon, I now pronounce you man and wife. Oscar, you may kiss your bride.”

  Oscar still held Lily’s hand. He took the other and stared down at her. She noticed he wasn’t breathing and started to worry. In fact, he was frozen in place, just standing there looking at her as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened. Well, that made two of them. Wasn’t he going to kiss her? She glanced at Annie, who smiled back, but it did nothing to calm her fears.

  Preacher Jo cleared his throat. “Ahem … Oscar? Anything in particular you’re waiting for?”

  Oscar swallowed hard, his eyes still fixed on Lily. “Nossir, Preacher Jo. I just cain’t believe I’m married to this beautiful woman in front of me. Maybe I will call ya Lily Fair, on account yer the fairest thing I ever saw.”

  Lily’s cheeks grew hot, but her smile was genuine. “Does that mean you’ll kiss me now?” she asked shyly.

  Oscar grinned. “Sure does.” He carefully pulled her to him as if she might break, lowered his face to hers, gently brushed her lips with his and took a shuddering breath. “Mrs. Lily Fair White,” he said, trying the name out. “Lily White.” He smiled again. “I ain’t sure which I like better.”

  “Whatever one you want,” she replied. “Or whatever fits the moment.”

  “I say,” Colin said. “You mean like when Belle screams through the house ‘Colin Bartholomew’? She always calls me that when she’s angry.”

  His wife gave him a playful shove. “I do no such thing.”

  “Yes, you do, my sweet.”

  “I’ve heard you do that,” Sadie added, nodding sympathetically.

  Harrison laughed. “I’d say congratulations are in order.” He stood, pulling his wife up beside him. “May we be the first to say how happy we are to have had the privilege to see you wed.”

  Oscar nodded at him. “Thanks, Harrison. Mighty kind of ya to say.”

  Colin joined them. “Perhaps we should have that little chat with Oscar now?” he suggested to his brother.

  Harrison’s eyebrows shot up. “Right – of course.” He turned to Lily. “But first I must kiss the bride. You don’t mind, do you, Oscar?”
>
  Oscar chuckled. “So long as Lily don’t.”

  Lily blushed, not knowing what to do. She smiled at Harrison Cooke and shrugged.

  Harrison laughed and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “I know I speak for all of us when I say that we wish you both the very best.”

  Sadie smiled and took her by the hand. “Congratulations, Lily. Is it all right if I call you Lily?”

  “Of course.”

  “I wish you could stay in town a few days, but I know Oscar has to be getting back to the stage stop. It’s a lot of work for his mother and brothers to handle when he’s gone.”

  “I understand,” Lily said with a tinge of disappointment. “I hope I see you again someday.”

  “Why, of course you will,” Annie said. “As soon as we know when the sewing circle is going to start another quilt, we’ll send word with Willie. Don’t worry, you’ll get to be part of it even if you can’t come to town as often.”

  “That’s very kind of you. I have to admit, I’m excited to help with your next project. I … don’t sew well, just so you know.”

  The women laughed. “Don’t worry, neither did most of us when we first formed the circle,” Sadie said.

  “True enough,” Belle added. “And we can write letters too. I know it won’t be quite the same as seeing you in person, but …” She glanced at Sadie and back. “… at least it’s a way to stay connected.”

  By this time Lily had tears in her eyes. “Thank you, all of you. You’ve been so very kind. I don’t know what to say.” Probably a good thing – she was getting choked up. Part of her felt like she didn’t deserve their kindness. Ten years ago she’d looked down on women like these. Embarrassed, she looked at Oscar, who was immersed in conversation with Belle and Sadie’s husbands. No matter – she felt too overwhelmed at the moment to say anything coherent to him. If she opened her mouth, she was sure to babble.

  She made it through the rest of the well-wishes, congratulations and promises of letters – even from Mrs. Dunnigan. When Oscar finally concluded whatever business he had with the Cooke brothers and rejoined her, she looked at him and smiled.