Leora: Bride of California (American Mail-Order Bride 31) (5 page)

“That’s very sweet of you,” she said, smiling. “Thank you.”

“You won’t be thanking me when you start cleaning and organizing my filing cabinet,” he said and pulled out a chair for her.

She sat. “Is it that bad?”

He leaned down and whispered, “a catastrophe.” He kissed her on the cheek, then took his own chair. “It might take you days.”

“I think I can handle a filing cabinet,” she said confidently.

“I’m sure you can. Shall we pray?” He took her hand, said a quick blessing and they started to eat.

The eggs he made were perfect. “Where did you learn to cook?”

“My mother taught me a thing or two. Plus, I happen to come from a town full of excellent cooks.”

“Lucky you. All I have is Mrs. Pleet. But after tasting your eggs, what do I need her for if I have you?”

He smiled between mouthfuls. “Trust me, you will. Mainly because Mrs. Pleet has something I don’t.”

“What’s that?”

“Time.”

She nodded in understanding. “You’ll let me know when I’m able to spend some of that time with her, won’t you?”

“Of course. Besides, she’s a dear woman and would make you a fine friend. I’m sure you and Mrs. Pleet will be spending a lot of time together eventually.”

“So long as I’m able to conquer your filing cabinet,” she teased.

“Ah yes. I hope you’re up to the challenge.”

“After this wonderful breakfast, I think I’ll be up to anything.” The last thing she expected was him making her breakfast on their first full day as husband and wife. Leora smiled in contentment and continued to eat.

Five

Theron’s “filing cabinet” was in reality a stack of boxes, no two of them the same size, stuffed with papers, documents and other office paraphernalia that he’d shoved into a corner of his office.

Leora stared at it in horror. How did she miss seeing this yesterday? Probably because she was too busy getting married.

“I told you it wasn’t pretty,” Theron said as he took his chair behind the desk. “I’m not much for paperwork. In fact, I loathe it. I’d rather be out helping people.”

“Yes,” she said as she turned, one eyebrow raised. “I can see that.”

“This is several years’ accumulation, mind you. Goes back before I came here.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Not quite two years.”

“Oh. For some reason I thought you’d been here longer than that.”

“No, I spent some years in San Francisco. Before that, Oregon.”

“I see.”

“It was easier to transport my files this way. I’ve been so busy since I took up this post, I haven’t had much time – or inclination – to organize them.”

Leora glanced around. She didn’t see an actual filing cabinet anywhere. “Oh dear, I see what you mean.” But she smiled. He looked handsome sitting behind his desk, and she noticed it, at least, was organized. “I’ll get started right away, but it won’t do much good if there isn’t a place to put it all. Which means …”

“… I need to get a
real
filing cabinet. Yes, I know. I do believe I can procure one from the catalogue.”

“Catalogue?” she said. “I thought maybe the mercantile could order one.”

He reached down, opened a drawer and hefted out a huge book. “Why, when I can order one myself?”

“What is that?” she asked as she approached the desk.

He turned it around and shoved it across the desk. “The Sears-Roebuck catalogue, of course.”

“It’s huge! I’ve never heard of it before.”

“They started out with jewelry and watches mostly, but now the company has all sorts of things you can order, with more and more being added every year.”

She leafed through the tome. “Look at all these wonderful things!”

“For now, look at the page I’ve marked.”

She noticed a strip of paper peeking from between the pages and turned to it. “Oh yes, filing …”

“We can order one ourselves cheaper than we can through the mercantile,” he said.

She nodded as she flipped back through the pages. “What a wonder.”

“Yes – and in a few years, who knows how big that catalogue will be.”

“You could use it for a doorstop.”

He laughed. “I’d trip over it. Or worse yet, you would. I can’t have my wife limping around.”

“No, I suppose that won’t do.”

“Never,” he said as he stood, reached across the desk and cupped her face with his hand. “I couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

Leora reached up and put a hand over his. “You hardly know me. Maybe my organization skills will drive you mad.”

He smiled. “No, I don’t think so. Not even if yours are as bad as mine.”

She glanced at the stack in the corner. “No, this is one area where I know I have you beaten.”

“Most anyone would,” he said with a chuckle, then leaned across the desk to kiss her.

“Ahem!”

They froze, their lips still locked, before Theron pulled away and turned to the newcomer. “Don’t you ever knock?”

“Don’t you ever write?” said a woman standing in the doorway between the church office and the sanctuary. “The least you could’ve done was send us a telegram.”

Theron rolled his eyes. “I did, as you’ll recall.”

“Yes, which is why we’re here.” She looked at Leora and smiled. “I take it we missed the wedding?”

Theron glanced between the two women. “I’m afraid so.” He turned back to Leora. “May I introduce you to my …” He swallowed hard. “… my mother, Mrs. Elsie Drake.”

Leora’s eyes widened. She’d never thought to ask about his parents. “How do you do?” she said, extending a hand to the woman. “I’m Leora.”

“So nice to meet you,” Mrs. Drake said and shook her hand. “You’ll meet Theron’s father later – he’s taking care of … a bit of business.”

Theron softly groaned and looked away.

What was that about? Leora’s eyes darted between them before she said. “I’m so glad to meet you. Theron mentioned you in his letter.”

“Letter?” Mrs. Drake said. “As in
one
letter?”

“There wasn’t time for a lengthy courtship,” Theron explained.

“So it seems.”

Leora studied her, noticing the similarities between mother and son. She had his clear, intense blue eyes. Her hair was golden brown with a hint of gray at the temples. Despite her age, she was still pretty without a single wrinkle, and looked to be in excellent health from the golden glow of her skin. She glanced at Mrs. Drake’s hands, then at her own, which looked rough in comparison. She unconsciously put them behind her back.

“How was the wedding?” Mrs. Drake asked, pushing the conversation forward.

“Fine,” Theron said curtly.

Leora watched with interest. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say he didn’t want his mother here.

“And what did you think about it?” The woman gave Leora a pointed look.

Now that Mrs. Drake’s stare was on her, it made her nervous. “Well, it was … maybe a little different.”

This time, Theron didn’t try to hide the groan.

“Oh?” Mrs. Drake said innocently. “What was … different about it?”

“Well,” Leora said as her eyes flicked to her husband’s. A lot of good that did; he had a hand over his eyes as if he couldn’t bear to watch what happened next. “There were quite a few people there.”

“Uninvited?” she asked sweetly.

“For Heaven’s sake, mother,” Theron said as his hand fell from his face. “You were
right.
There, does that make you happy? Can I get back to work now?”

Leora glanced from one face to the other. “I'm sorry, but I feel a little left out. Theron, is there something I should know?”

He sucked in some air and sighed heavily. “My mother and Mrs. Rutherford don’t see eye to eye. And Mother does not suffer fools – as evidenced when she dumped an entire bowl of punch over Mrs. Rutherford’s head at the town dance last year.”

Leora’s hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, then started to giggle.

“Yes, I thought it was rather amusing too,” Mrs. Drake said in recollection. “Did she ruin your wedding?”

“No, she didn’t,” Theron said in exasperation. “Is that why you’re here?”

“No, that is not why we’re here. We traveled to meet your new bride. And since we’re in California we might as well go to San Francisco and visit Lorcan and Ada,” she turned to Leora. “They’re good friends of the family – they moved there about a year ago.”

Leora smiled, unsure of what to say at this point.

Theron stared at his mother a moment, his face calmer. “You’ll give them my best, won’t you?”

“Of course.” She looked at Leora again. “Lorcan’s blind, but he and his wife Ada get along all right. That’s what a good woman will do for a man.”

Leora quickly looked at Theron. Was that an insult? She wasn’t sure.

Theron, on the other hand, had his own ideas. “Mother, I’m married now and as much as I know it pained you that you had no hand in selecting her, it is done nonetheless. I know you have the best intentions in mind as always, but that’s the end of it.” He came around the desk and put his arm around Leora. “Now get to know your new daughter-in-law while you’re here. I think you’ll like her very much.”

“I already like her,” Mrs. Drake said and smiled at Leora. “Now I just have to figure out what to do with the girl I had lined up for you.”

Theron’s eyebrows shot up. “You actually found someone?” He turned to Leora. “Where I come from women are still fairly scarce.”

“She’s not exactly a local, but a definite prospect,” Mrs. Drake said. “No matter – I’m sure I can find someone for her.” She sighed. “Well now, what do you two have planned for the day?”

“Er … placing an order from a catalogue,” Leora said sheepishly.

Theron smiled and tried not to chuckle. “It’s a normal work day for me, Mother. Leora was kind enough to offer to help out.”

“Finally going to clean up that corner now that you have help?” his mother asked.

Theron smiled. “Believe it or not, yes.”

Mrs. Drake crossed the room and stared at the chaotic stacks. “Oh, thank Heaven. He writes home about it, you know,” she told Leora. “I think it gives him nightmares. Then again, he was always piling things up at home as a boy. Just not an organizer. Takes after his father that way.”

“Mother, either stay and help Leora or join Father at Mrs. Pleet’s. That is where you’re staying, isn’t it?”

“Of course – we wouldn’t think of staying anywhere else. We love Mrs. Pleet.”

“Well, then,” Theron said. “I was just about to get started. Would you like to help?”

“Heavens, no. I’ll go find your father so I can bring him by and introduce him to his new daughter in-law. Then we can talk about what to make for supper tonight.”

Leora blanched. The thought of serving this woman cabbage soup didn’t set well. What was she going to do?

“I’ll be back in a few hours with your father. I’m happy for you, dear, for both of you.” She kissed Theron on the cheek. “Please don’t let our visit upset you. I know we didn’t send a wire to let you know we were coming, but we wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, it worked – I’m surprised. Not overly, mind you, but still surprised.” He leaned over and returned the peck. “I’m glad you’re here. It’ll be nice to sit down to supper with you and Father tonight.”

Mrs. Drake smiled, tears in her eyes. “Yes, it will.” She turned and left the church office.

Leora stared after her, her mouth half opened. “Is there something I should know about your parents?” she said, giving him a sideways glance. “You acted oddly when she first showed up.” Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked, but she had to know. The last thing she wanted was to be put into a situation where she was expected to choose sides, which was exactly how her new husband and his mother had made her feel.

Theron ran a hand through his hair, mussing it. “It’s a long story. I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details.”

A flicker of determination flashed across her face. “That pile in the corner is likely to take me all day. I’d love to be entertained while I work.”

Theron blew out a breath and shrugged. “All right, the short version. My parents are … shall we say, a little different.”

“Different how?”

“I don’t really know how to explain it. My father is the town doctor where we come from, and I have to admit he’s
very
good at it. My mother works with him.”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“My father was educated at Harvard,” he continued, ignoring her question. “My mother, in a small schoolhouse in a town called Nowhere. It’s up in Washington Territory – well, Washington state now. None of this is unusual, but when you put them together they make quite the pair. My mother sees something she wants and goes after it. She’s very adventurous and speaks her mind. My father, on the other hand … well, he’s the thing people go after, sometimes at great cost.”

She cocked her head to one side. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s like I said before – he’s very good at what he does. The people she mentioned earlier, Lorcan and Ada, sought my father out years ago when Lorcan first went blind, hoping he could help.”

“But your mother mentioned that this Lorcan is still blind. Your father wasn’t able to help him.”

“Oh, he helped him all right. He … taught him things. It’s almost as if the man can see. Schools for the blind have wanted my father to come teach for them, but he won’t leave his practice. Others started to come, wanting him to do things for them, too. Write books, teach. It was like living in a circus.”

“Is that why you left?”

He nodded. “Yes. My parents were hoping I’d take over the family practice and become a doctor. But I like what I’m doing here.”

“And they don’t approve?” she asked. She was learning a lot about him and liked it.

“It doesn’t matter if they approve or not,” he said. “What does is that I’m fulfilling my calling.”

“Calling?” she whispered. “So that’s why you became a preacher?”

He nodded as he pulled her into his arms. “And I’ve never regretted a single moment of it.”

“But what about your parents?”

“What they do with their lives is their business,” he said. “I’m happy that my father is able to help so many people. I’m just not as happy with some of the people who seek that help. He’s glad to give it, mind, but I remember a time when someone threatened Mother’s life to try and force Father to help them.”

Leora gasped. “That’s horrible!”