Sunlight struck Dave’s eyes and he tried to roll onto his side to avoid it, but the soft body next to him stirred in protest. Squinting, he opened his eyes and smiled at Mary’s sleeping form. She was curled up next to him. Nothing he experienced prepared him for the ecstasy he found in bed with her. Ignoring the sun, he studied her face, noting how peaceful she looked. He wondered what dreams could entice a faint smile on her rosy lips. He blinked in surprise. Wasn’t her nose bigger the day before? He shook his head. Obviously, his poor attention to detail misled him on that observation. Her nose really wasn’t that big after all. It seemed better proportioned to her face. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, and he suspected she might wake up but he was wrong.
Reaching up to her head, his fingers played with her frizzy hair which reached the middle of her back. The tight curls sprang back as soon as he released them. He chuckled. Given how quickly she seemed to adjust to the sod house and milking a cow, he wasn’t surprised that her hair displayed the same characteristic to remain unmoved by something new. She had a strong constitution and he admired her for that. Living on the prairie without the comforts of her home back east, she would need it.
He reluctantly turned his attention to the window. He couldn’t recall the last time he slept so late but knew he better check on the mare and milk the cow before it got too late in the morning. As he sat up, she murmured and wiggled closer to him. After waking her up to make love to her again during the night, he was shocked that his body responded with an urgency for more. Reminding himself that he had that night to satisfy his desires, he stood up, quickly dressed and combed his hair.
He quietly left the house to feed the animals. One look at the expectant cow notified him that she needed milking, so he picked up his pail and obliged the animal who seemed relieved that he didn’t make her wait this time. When he was done, he took the barrel he used for clean water, emptied it to get rid of the bugs that landed in it and placed it on a cart so he could wheel it to the river.
The morning seemed brighter than usual as he examined the green hills in the distance. The view greeted him every morning on his way to the river that snaked through his land. Dave chose this particular section because of the view of the hills. There was something calming about it, as if no matter how complicated life got, everything worked out well in the end.
Though the day had just begun, the lack of wind and shining sun revealed that the day would be a hot one. He wondered if a storm was brewing. Sticky hot days seemed to be accompanied by night-time thunderstorms. Looking up, he didn’t see a cloud in sight. That, however, didn’t mean the sky would stay clear through the rest of the day or evening. The Nebraska weather could change with little warning.
He filled the barrel with the cool water and wheeled it to the house where he dutifully filled a couple of buckets in the kitchen as he did every morning. He smiled when he saw Mary open her eyes.
“Good morning,” he warmly greeted.
She gasped and sat up. The sudden movement caused her nightshirt to fall off her shoulder, revealing a glimpse of her cleavage. Mesmerized by the sight, he paused as he dipped a clean cup into one of the buckets.
“I didn’t realize I slept as late as I did.” She hopped out of bed and turned her back to him so she could tuck the sheet and blanket neatly into place. The shirt barely concealed her cute bottom as she leaned over the mattress.
He debated flinging her back onto the bed and having his way with her but recalled the day’s chores that needed his attention. He muttered under his breath and forced his eyes off of her curvy figure so his erection would go away. Night couldn’t come soon enough. He gulped the cup of water and set it on the counter.
“What time is it?” She walked over to him.
His eyes fell to her bare feet. She seemed unconcerned about walking on the dirt floor. He decided it was time to put something on the floor to protect her feet. The small rug by the bed wasn’t enough.
“Dave?” She stood in front of him, her eyes a clear blue sky color with hints of green spread throughout them. Her expression was one of concern.
He took in the intoxicating aroma of their scents mixed together that lingered on her skin. There was something primitive and satisfying in knowing he claimed her as his own. He reached for her arms and gently pulled her to him. He lowered his head and kissed her. He noted her hesitation. He pulled away from her, trying to judge her reaction.
As if she understood his quizzical expression, she said, “You surprised me.”
He relaxed and smiled. “Get used to it, sweetheart. I plan to kiss you often.”
This time when he bent to kiss her, she closed her eyes and waited for him. He held her tightly to him and brought his lips to hers. She sighed and brought her hands to his shoulders. When their kiss ended, he continued to hug her.
“You must be hungry,” she whispered. “I’ll make you breakfast.”
He released her. “I was thinking of returning to town today so you can pick up better foods to cook. I’m guessing that jerky isn’t your first choice.”
“You guessed right. Will it inconvenience you to go back?”
“No. I got the necessary stuff out of the way. Corn and beans don’t require me to watch them all day to grow, and Susannah won’t foal for at least another week. Besides, you might want to pick up some material to make dresses or even some pants.”
“Pants?”
“Some farm work may be easier if you don’t have to worry about a dress. And I could teach you to ride a horse, unless you’re familiar with that already.”
“No. I’ve never ridden one before.”
“I don’t have a side saddle, so you’ll need to learn to ride like a man. The pants will do well for that. Also, if there’s anything you want to buy for this place, feel free. It could use a woman’s touch now that one lives here.”
She turned her attention to the fruits stored in a bowl. “I didn’t mean to sleep so late. I’ll try to wake up earlier tomorrow.”
“You needed to rest after taking the train all the way out here.” He kissed the top of her head. “You’re too hard on yourself. It’s alright to be human.” He glanced out the window. The sunlight poured across the grass and over the barn. “I’ll get Lewis and Clark hitched up to the wagon.”
She shot him a questioning look.
“Those are the two geldings,” he informed her. “My nephew named them after he learned about the explorers who traveled out west.”
She seemed amused. “At least you know he pays attention in school.”
Grinning, he turned to the front door. “I won’t be long. I can’t wait to taste what else you can make.”
He noticed her blush as she grabbed a skillet from the shelf. His heart warmed at the sight of her cooking in their kitchen. Before, the house had been a place to sleep. Now it felt like an actual home. Happy, he opened the door to go to the barn.
***
Two hours later, they arrived at the mercantile in town. Mary’s white bonnet protected her from the hot sun, but her blue dress was made of thick material that made her break into a sweat. She figured a thinner fabric would be better for this weather. The two dresses she brought with her were better suited for winter.
He helped her down from the wagon. She blushed as he led her to the entrance of the store with his hand placed on her elbow. It would take some time before she got used to his closeness and affection. A quick view of the store revealed that she could buy all the items she needed from this place.
“Good morning, Larson,” the middle-aged man smiled from behind the counter.
“Good morning!” Gently urging her to walk beside him, they closed the gap to the owner, their shoes clicking on the wood floor. “Yesterday, I got hitched to Mary over here. I posted an ad and she answered it, so I went to meet her when she hopped off the train. Mary, this is Ralph Lindon.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” he said, his eyebrows raised in interest.
“Hello,” she replied.
“I thought Craftsman was the only one getting married yesterday,” Ralph stated, leaning forward on the counter.
She shifted awkwardly as he glanced back at her.
“I forgot to mention that I was expecting my bride to come in on the train as well,” Dave lied.
Ralph gave him a startled look. “How could you forget to mention something like that?”
He sheepishly shrugged. “I was distracted, what with running out of food and all.”
“It’s amazing you managed to get to the train station.” The man shook his head before grinning her way. “I hope you can help him remember things. This boy needs all the help he can get.”
Relaxing, she smiled. “I’ll do what I can.”
“Oh, I should buy you a wedding ring.” Pointing to the display case featuring jewelry, he asked, “Which one do you like best?”
Pleased that he wished to do that, she scanned the selection of necklaces, bracelets and rings. Focusing on the gold bands with various sizes of diamonds on them, she pointed to the one with a simple gold band. She couldn’t see the practicality of buying one with a diamond, though women in Maine seemed especially impressed with them. If she had learned nothing else from her short time on the farm, she understood that a diamond that stuck out of the ring could snag onto other things and prevent her from getting her work done. Besides, she wanted to be with Dave, whether she had a ring or not.
“It looks like you got yourself a winner,” Ralph told Dave as he took the ring from the display case and handed it to him. “You’d be surprised at the spendthrifts I see in here.”
“You would be surprised at her other attributes.” Dave smiled at her as he slipped the ring on her finger. “It looks just right.” Turning to Ralph, he paid for it.
She examined the lovely piece of jewelry, aware of its solid cool presence on her finger.
The small bell rang as the door opened. Three women, a petite redhead and two blonds entered the store, their heads bowed together as if sharing a secret. As the door closed, the group erupted into a fit of giggles.
“Good day, ladies,” Ralph called out. “May I help you?”
The curvaceous redhead looked over at him. “Not now, Mr. Lindon. We’ll take a look around first.” Returning to her friends, she whispered something that caused them to engage in another bout of laughter. They made their way to the window by the store and bent over the figurines.
“What did I tell you?” Ralph spoke to Dave, his voice low so the women wouldn’t overhear him. “Spendthrifts. However, they do make me money, so I won’t complain.”
Dave groaned. “I swear, you’re worse than all of my sisters put together.”
“Well, while you’re here, I got a price chart of what I expect to pay for so many bushels of your corn come harvest time. Care to check it out?”
“It’s good to be prepared for how much you’ll rip me off,” Dave joked. Turning to her he said, “Throw whatever you want in this. Alright?” He picked up one of the baskets that was on the floor by the counter and handed it to her.
She accepted it and began her search of the items on the shelves, realizing the three women watched her. Her cheeks grew hot but she struggled to ignore them as she grabbed flour, cornmeal, and salt. She managed to find a section in the store with a protruding wall that she could hide behind. She wished they would go back to talking about whatever they found humorous when they entered the place.
As she spied other food items of interest, she realized that shopping for her husband was a fun venture. She couldn’t wait to present him with a homemade apple pie that people back in Maine often complimented her on. With all the apples he bought and the apple trees on their property, she could make many of them. She wanted to do what she could to please him since he had shown her great kindness.
When the bell rang again, she peered around the corner of the wall. She couldn’t see the front door, but she witnessed the three chatty women strolling past the window, so she knew they left the store. Why they found her interesting enough to examine, she didn’t know. A couple of women in her past had laughed at the sight of her. Returning to the shelf in front of her, she decided that she didn’t want to know. She’d rather believe it was because they didn’t recognize her. She wanted to get back to enjoying her newfound relationship with her husband.
She paused as she considered sending a letter to her parents and Grace so they knew that she made it safely to her destination and did, in fact, marry after all. She decided to ask Dave if he would take her to the post office before leaving town.
Making her way to the back of the store, her eyes rested on two tables that held an assortment of colored fabrics that she could sew into clothes. She touched them to determine their quality and texture. Grace once told her that wearing blues and greens brought out the colors in her eyes. Furrowing her eyebrows, she tried to decide if she should stick with her usual solid colors or choose a pattern. She wondered what Dave liked. Did men even notice the designs on a dress? Probably not. She’d wear what she wanted. She mentally summed up the cost for two dresses, a pair of pants and a shirt.
“You’re still here?”
The man who spoke caused her spine to stiffen. She didn’t have to look at Neil to know it was him. Determined she wouldn’t show her hurt over being rejected by him, her eyes met his. “Of course, I’m still here. I came to Nebraska to start a new life.”
He stood before her, five inches taller than her. His trimmed brown hair, neatly combed under his black hat, complimented his blue eyes, and he dressed in a new blue shirt and black pants. Though he appeared attractive, she remained unaffected by his looks. In fact, she hadn’t found him appealing when she first met him. He seemed too imposing, though she wouldn’t let him detect her hesitation around him. He bothered her and it had nothing to do with the way he talked to her.
He shook his head and shrugged. “I admit that I’m surprised. I expected you to hightail it out of town.”
“You expected wrong.”
“Whatever will you do to support yourself?”
Naturally, he couldn’t imagine that a man would be willing to marry her. She understood the insult for what it was but refused to let it upset her. “Mr. Craftsman, I am not a child. I’m fully capable of taking care of myself.”
“So it would seem.” He motioned to the basket full of food. Sighing, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders, he continued. “I am responsible for your predicament. It’s only fair that I offer you some money to get you by until you find a job.”
Biting back a sarcastic reply, she coolly answered, “I am fine. There is no need for your charity.”
Relief washed over his face.
Disgusted, she picked up the basket and turned to leave.
To her shock, he held up his hand to stop her. “Miss Peters,” he quickly began, “in light of the fact that you are staying, I would ask one small favor.”
The last thing she felt like doing was granting this rude man a favor. However, she detected a weakness in him that prompted her mercy. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and waited for him to speak.
“People may not look well on me for deciding not to marry you. Will you simply tell them that you came here seeking employment?”
Had he not criticized her at the train station and in this store, a bitter knot wouldn’t have twisted in her gut.
“There’s no need to lie, Neil.” Dave appeared from the corner of the aisle. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side.
She gladly leaned against him for support.
“She came for me,” Dave continued. “I placed an ad in the paper asking for a wife and she was the best reply I got from the three women who responded. If you ask me, I lucked out.”
Clearly taken off guard, Neil’s blue eyes darted from one to the other. “So, you’re married?”
“Judge Johnson married us as soon as we left the train station yesterday.”
A light of understanding lit up his eyes. “I see. Then congratulations are in order.”
Ralph appeared and smiled widely at his three unsettled customers. “I thought I heard an extra customer in here. Craftsman, did you know Larson placed an ad for a wife too? What a coincidence that she came on the same day your woman was due to come in! Speaking of which, are you a responsible married man now?”
Neil offered Ralph a regretful look. “As it turns out, she never showed up.”
The owner shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe the next one will work out.”
“Yes. I should head over to the newspaper office.”
“Aren’t you going to buy anything?”
“Right. Yes. I’ll come back for it later. Good day.” He didn’t glance in her or Dave’s direction. He just tipped his black hat to Ralph and rushed out the front door.
She exhaled. Her encounter with him unnerved her. Dave magically appeared out of nowhere and rescued her once again. She had heard tales of knights in shining armor coming to the aid of a damsel in distress, and this man standing solidly next to her fulfilled all of her dreams of such a nobleman. She felt like a wilted flower next to him. A pair couldn’t be more mismatched.
Dave turned to Ralph and motioned to the fabric. “Mary will be buying some of these.” Looking in her direction, he asked, “Did you pick out the ones you wanted?”
Breaking out of her thoughts, she selected the cloths that appealed to her. When she was done, she asked if she could send her parents and sister a letter so they wouldn’t worry about her. He agreed, and once they purchased the items, he took her to the post office.
***
On their way out of the post office, a woman in her late twenties, holding a young boy’s hand, waved to them.
“I should have expected this,” Dave muttered. His encounter with Neil left him in a sour mood and this didn’t help. Turning to his new wife, he warned, “My family’s going to hover around you now that they know I got married.”
“Shame on you, David, for not telling anyone you were expecting a bride,” the blond with long hair pulled back into a braid said as she rushed over to them. A four-year-old blond-haired boy struggled to keep up with her. The woman smiled warmly at Mary. “I’m David’s older sister, Sally. I’m married to Judge Johnson.”
“Guess how she found out about you?” he wryly asked Mary.
“It’s a pleasure to meet my new sister.” She turned to Mary and widely smiled at her.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” Mary shyly replied.
“This is Greg.” Sally nudged the boy in the shoulder.
“Good day, ma’am,” the boy greeted.
She smiled and said hello in return.
Dave stepped aside so an elderly couple could pass them. Mary backed up to the wall of the post office building, and the rest of the group followed suit so they could be out of the other pedestrians’ way.
“Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather when Rick told me what happened,” Sally continued. “Really, it’s a good thing my husband keeps me informed about what’s going on or else David would have forgotten to tell us he married you.”
“I’m sure waking up next to her every morning would refresh my memory,” he inserted, recognizing her joke for what it was so he didn’t take offense to it.
“Perhaps,” she consented. “I’m sorry that he didn’t bring you by my house yesterday before you left town. I only live two blocks from the courthouse. We could have drunk coffee or had a snack.”
“She just got through a long train ride. She needed to rest,” he replied.
“Did you grow up on a farm?” Sally asked her, ignoring him.
“No. I grew up in a small Maine town near the ocean. I worked at a restaurant.”
“Wonderful!” She clapped her hands together. “We have to get together for the cooking contest. Maureen Brown and her friends win every year, and Jenny and I need some help.”
“I’ll be happy to do what I can.”
He groaned loud enough so his sister would hear him. He knew he’d have to share his wife eventually but hoped the matter would be delayed as long as possible. That, unfortunately, was looking to be an impossible task.
Sally waved her hand at him and looked at a bewildered Mary. “Anyway, I am so excited to meet you! Jenny will be sorry she didn’t come for a walk with me since I happened to run into you. We’ll all be like sisters.” She giggled and put her hand to her chest. “How silly of me. We are sisters.” She took Mary’s hands and nearly jumped up and down. “I can’t wait to learn all about you. If David married you, then you must be pretty special.”
Mary blushed. “I am looking forward to getting to know you and Jenny.”
“Did he tell you about his brothers and sisters yet?”
“A little bit.”
“Well, there are six of us all together. Four boys and two girls. From oldest to youngest there’s Richard, me, Tom, David, Jenny and Joel. Richard, Tom, and I are married. You should see some pictures so you can place our faces with our names.”
He slid his arm around Mary’s waist and instinctively pulled her closer to him, as if doing so would prevent his sister from hauling her off to her home. “We have to give Mary time to settle into her life here first. She just got here yesterday.”
“Of course.” The blond nodded understandingly. “And you two are newlyweds. Surely, you’ll want time to yourselves.”
He breathed a sigh of relief.
“So, when will you bring her out to meet everyone at Ma and Pa’s farm?”
He glanced at Mary who peered questioningly at him. His breath caught in his throat at the alluring sight she presented.
“David?”
Sally’s voice brought his focus back to the conversation at hand. “Oh, uh...A month ought to do it. What do you think, Mary?”
“That is fine,” she agreed.
“A whole month?” Sally groaned. “David, you will drive everyone mad with curiosity about her.”
“You’ll get to see her at church on Sundays,” he reminded her.
She reluctantly nodded. “I suppose it can’t be helped. Who knew you could be selfish?”
“Well, I married her.”
“The baking contest is in two weeks. Will you at least spare her for one day so she can help me and Jenny win it?”
He glanced at Mary. Sally was right. It was selfish of him to keep Mary all to myself the entire time. Besides, the sooner Mary got acquainted with her new life, the happier she’d be. “Do you want to help out?”
“I do enjoy cooking, but if you need me at the farm, then I should be there.”
“I’m sure I can survive one day by myself.”
“Wonderful!” Sally cheered. “I’ll let you two get back to the farm.” She pulled Mary away from him and gave her a big, warm hug. “I can’t wait to tell Jenny I met you! The contest is on Tuesday. I’ll be by to pick you up at eight.”
Mary nodded and they said good-bye to his sister who took Greg’s hand and led him to the mercantile.
Dave looked at his wife and smiled. “I reckon you’ll be close with my sisters.”
“She seems nice.”
“Do you need to get anything else while we’re in town?”
“No. I’m ready to go home.”
He nodded and waited for two men to pass them before leading her to the wagon.