Mail-Order Bride Ink: Dear Mr. Turner (11 page)

“Indeed,” Grandma said. “That’s what I’d like to know.”

Annie wrapped an arm through Fanny’s, making the older woman flinch. “Come home with me, Fanny, and you can tell me and Jo all about it.”

“Tell you about what? I have nothing to tell!”

“Oh, I think there’s plenty,” Grandma grabbed Fanny’s other arm. The two women escorted her to the door and out the mercantile.

“I declare,” Pleasant said, “what is wrong with that woman?”

Mr. Turner shook his head. “Her husband Henry’s retirin’ soon on account he don’t see too good no more. I think it’s got poor Fanny all riled up.”

“Does the thought of having her husband at home upset her that much?”

“It must. Ever since he told her, she’s been nastier’n a polecat to live with, accordin’ to Henry. Now I see what he’s talkin’ ‘bout. Ya’d think she’d be happy – it ain’t the kind of job where a man’s always home for supper.”

Pleasant stared at him and felt her heart sink a little. “It’s not, is it?”

“No, ma’am. There are times a lawman can be gone for days, even weeks.” He flinched at his own words. “That don’t mean I’ll have to be gone that long, but sometimes … well, it cain’t be helped.”

Pleasant slowly nodded. Would she be able to cope with being by herself for days on end without him, or would she go crazy from loneliness? She shook the thought away. For Heaven’s sake, why was she even thinking about it? She didn’t even know him yet!

“Miss Comfort?”

Pleasant jumped at his voice. “Yes?”

“Would you take a walk with me?”

E
li watched
Pleasant look furtively at Sadie and Belle. They each nodded in approval. Did she think they wouldn’t let her go with him? He smiled warmly and offered her his arm. “I’d like to show ya the town if’n I may. I got a little time on my hands ‘fore the next watch.”

“Next watch?”

“Guardin’ the prisoners,” he explained. “Remember the outlaws we brought in the other day? We cain’t do nothin’ with ‘em ‘til Judge Whipple gets to town.”

“Oh yes, of course.” She wrapped her arm through his. “Lead the way, Mr. Turner.”

He escorted her out of the mercantile, crossed the street to the other side and onto the boardwalk. “Now that ya’ve seen the mercantile, I figgered ya oughta see the rest of Clear Creek.”

“You’re most kind for showing me, Mr. Turner.”

“Well, yer gonna live here, ain’t ya?”

“That’s the idea.”

He smiled, half-gritting his teeth. Every time he was around her, he put his foot in his mouth and made himself look like a fool. He hoped he didn’t come across as some dumb country bumpkin. He didn’t have much education, just what Mrs. Kincaid had been able to give him and the other kids in town when he was growing up. He could read and write and knew his numbers – what else did you need to get through life?

Besides, the skills he
really needed
to do his job were a lot stronger than his ability to read, write and do sums. Being an excellent horseman and handy with a gun were basic requirements of his trade, not to mention a calm demeanor and the ability to make snap decisions if he had to. Knowing how to throw a good punch helped, too.

“Do both doctors live in the same house?” Miss Comfort asked, pulling him from his musings.

“Doc Waller and Doc Drake? Sure. The house belongs to Doc and Grandma Waller, but Elsie, their niece, came to live with ‘em ‘bout the same time Bowen Drake showed up, and they fell in love and got married. Doc Drake studied science, medicine and all that stuff at some fancy college back East, so he joined Doc Waller in his practice. They all get along fine, and they added onto the house years ago, so there’s plenty of room.”

“Is there a lot of that around here?” she asked. “People moving in with family?”

“There’s some – sometimes it’s just easier than buildin’ another house. Isn’t there where you come from?”

“Yes, I suppose.” She had a faraway look in her eye.

“How many folks in yer family?”

“My father and my six brothers.”

“I only have my sister Emeline and my brother Tom. Ma and Pa moved to Oregon City a few years back on account of Pa feelin’ poorly – they moved in with my aunt there.”

“Do you see them often?”

“We see ‘em when we can. I ‘spect they’ll come back to Clear Creek in the next few years – probably move in with myself or Emeline. Tom bein’ sheriff and all, they might not wanna burden him.” He glanced at her to gauge her reaction. “Ya wouldn’t mind if they lived with us, would ya?”

She swallowed hard. “They’re your family. How could I say no?”

“No more’n I could, I guess. If ya wanted yer pa to come live with us one day, I’d say yes.”

He swore she cringed at his words. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that, Mr. Turner. I doubt my father would ever leave Georgia. Even if he did, he probably wouldn’t come any closer than Denver.”

“Why Denver?”

“I have an aunt there, my mother’s sister. If something was to happen and he needed a place to go, he’d go there.”

“Ya sound awful sure. How do ya know what yer Pa’ll do?”

“I did live with him almost my entire life.”

Good point. “What ‘bout all those brothers of yers? Any of ‘em hitched?”

“Not a one.”

He stopped and looked at her. “Why not? They’re all of age, right?”

Her look was forlorn. “I suppose … well … none of them have ever found the right girl.”

“Too bad they cain’t be mail-order husbands,” he said with a smile. “I can think of a few places to send ‘em to find a wife.”

“Mail-order husbands? Don’t be ridiculous, Mr. Turner – there’s no such thing.”

“I know. But maybe it’s ‘bout time there was.” He started walking again, and pointed to his left. “This here’s the bank – Levi Stone works there. He and his wife Fina are our neighbors.”

“Yes, that’s been well-established,” she said with a tiny smile. “And Mr. and Mrs. Adams are our other neighbors.”

“Yep. Chase Adams is the blacksmith in town and runs the livery stable – did ya know that yet?”

“No, but I do now.” She stopped and stared up the street. “I declare, but that is a lovely hotel.”

Eli followed her gaze. “Yep, Mr. Van Cleet built it and spared no expense. Ya wanna see the inside?”

“Can we?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at the mercantile. “Is there time?”

“‘Course there is. In fact, it’s almost teatime if’n my guess is right.”

“Teatime?” she said, surprised.

“Sure – lotsa folks go to the hotel for afternoon tea.” By now they’d reached Mulligan’s Saloon, and he pointed at it. “Even Mr. Mulligan likes to go over and tip back a cup.”

She smiled again, broader this time. “You’re serious.”

“‘Course I am. Don’t tell me ya don’t believe me.”

“I didn’t say that,” she said firmly. “Don’t put words in my mouth, Mr. Turner.”

Hmmm … for some reason that got her riled.

“I wasn’t tryin’ to. Come on, I’ll show ya.” They started off again, and within moments were walking through the front doors of the hotel and into its lobby.

“Oh my,” she said.

“Purty impressive, ain’t it?”

She nodded and motioned him closer. “That’s a rather large fellow behind the counter. He doesn’t look anything like a hotel clerk.”

“Lorcan? He used to be a fighter, ‘til he lost his sight. He managed his parents’ bookshop in Oregon City until Mr. Van Cleet came along and offered him this job. He got so good at it that Seth and Eloise Jones left to work on Seth’s brother’s ranch.”

“I believe I heard something to that effect from Sadie.”

“Won’t take ya long to learn ‘bout everyone in town – where they’ve been, what they’ve done. Everyone knows everyone’s business ‘round here.”

She opened her mouth to comment, but never got a chance. “Hello, Eli,” the hotel clerk said with a an Irish brogue, though not as heavy as Mr. Mulligan’s. “Here for tea?”

“Sure am, Lorcan – and I brought my future bride with me.”

Lorcan stood, and Eli caught the way Miss Comfort’s eyes widened as she noted him. “Mrs. Upton has everything ready as usual. Ada’s in the dining room, and I’m sure she’d love to meet her. As would I, for that matter.”

“Sure thing,” Eli led her to the counter. “Lorcan Brody, meet Miss Pleasant Comfort.”

“How do you do, Miss Comfort?” he asked, extending a huge, scarred hand.

Eli watched as she stared at Lorcan a moment. She’d probably just noticed he really was blind. “Very well, thank you.”

“She sounds nice,” Lorcan said, smiling at Eli.

“She’s right purty, I can tell ya that,” Eli said with pride. Miss Comfort’s cheeks turned crimson, which made his stomach feel funny inside. He liked it when she blushed. “We’ll just mosey into the dinin’ room now. Ya’ll join us later, won’t ya?”

“I’m waiting for Mr. Van Cleet, but I’ll join you as soon as he and I are done.”

“All right,” Eli said. “In the meantime I’ll introduce Miss Comfort here to Ada.”

“You do that,” Lorcan said and retook his seat.

Eli escorted Pleasant into the hotel dining room where at least a half a dozen tables had been set for tea. “How long has Mr. Brody been blind?” she asked him softly.

“Some six years, I think. He and his wife moved here about five years back, and it wasn’t long before that he’d lost his sight fightin’. Seth Jones taught him everything he knew about the hotel and how to run it. I think that’s why Mr. Van Cleet asked Lorcan to come in the first place. Seth wanted to help his brother run his ranch, and they knew someone’d hafta manage the hotel after he left.”

“My my. For such a small town, there certainly is a lot going on here.”

“That’s because ya know the folks involved. When ya know everyone in town, ya know everythin’ that’s goin’ on. In some big city, ya wouldn’t think twice about a different hotel clerk greetin’ ya when ya walked in. But when there’s only one hotel, and one clerk…”

“I see what you mean.”

“Eli Turner,” a woman with a gentle Southern accent declared. That definitely got Miss Comfort’s attention. She looked the woman up and down as she continued to talk. “Where have you been? We’ve not seen you at tea in ages.”

“Howdy, Ada. I brought my future bride with me.” He motioned to his intended. “Ada, meet Miss Pleasant Comfort.”

“Hello, Miss Comfort. How are you liking Clear Creek?”

Miss Comfort stared at her a moment, as if expecting Ada to have said something else. “I’m afraid I’m still getting used to it. It’s such a small town.”

“Oh, you’re from the South too,” Ada stated. “I’m from New Orleans myself. And you?”

A tiny smile formed on Miss Comfort’s lips. She had a lovely smile. Eli tried not to sigh in contentment. “Savannah, Georgia.”

“Well then, you’ll have to tell me what’s been happening on that side of the country. It’s been so long since I’ve been there.”

Miss Comfort gave Ada a warm smile. “I’d love to.”

Eli smiled to himself. He’d forgotten that Ada Brody was from Louisiana. At least now he knew his future bride would have one friend with whom she’d have something in common. He wanted her to have friends, wanted her to feel welcome in Clear Creek. Consarnit, he wanted to see her happy – so much so he could feel it in his gut. Now why did you suppose that was?

With a shake of his head he pulled a chair out for Pleasant, seated her, then did the same for Ada. He sat himself and listened to the two women get to know one another. Much to his surprise, he found he liked it.

* * *

“
I
was
a mail-order bride too,” Ada Brody said with a faraway look in her eye. “I remember the first time I saw Lorcan – he came flying out of a saloon window and landed in the street!”

Pleasant gasped. “He did what?!”

“Yes, I’d just gotten off the stage. His mother was there and was
furious
!”

Pleasant studied Ada Brody more closely. She was a pretty blonde and though her Southern accent was laced with Louisiana Creole, she had the bearing of a woman who’d been gently bred and raised. But she also had the gumption Pleasant recognized from working with Sadie, Belle, Honoria and especially Grandma Waller. These women had learned to deal with life out West and had become better for it. She hoped and prayed she could do the same in time.

She glanced at Eli, who sipped his tea as any gentleman would. He may not have been born and raised on a plantation, but that didn’t mean he was without manners. So he didn’t speak as eloquently as her father or brothers (thankfully, he didn’t bellow like them either!), but that didn’t mean he was any less a man.

“I’m sure you’ll find Clear Creek to be very quaint and charming once you get used to it,” Ada went on. “It is a little different here, I’ll grant, but I’ve grown to love the town and everyone in it. So has Lorcan.”

Speaking of Lorcan … “Hello ladies, Eli,” he said as he walked straight to their table unaided. Pleasant wondered how he managed to do it, then noticed a wiry older man behind Mr. Brody. Maybe he’d guided him into the dining room. “Might I join you?”

“Of course,” Ada told him. “And Miss Comfort, this is Mr. Cyrus Van Cleet, owner of the hotel. Cyrus, this is Miss Pleasant Comfort.”

“Happy to meet you, Miss Comfort,” Mr. Van Cleet said. “Eli here has told me all about you.”

Pleasant looked at her intended. “He has?”

“Of course. I often stop in at the sheriff’s office when I’m in town to say hello to our boys. They protect the lot of us, you know – we should thank them every day.”

“Oh yes, I … suppose so,” she stammered. Back home she hadn’t thought twice about such a thing.

The two men sat. “I hope my wife has been keeping you entertained, lass,” Lorcan said with a smile. “But be wary. She’s a talker.”

“I am not!” Ada protested, glaring at him.

“Yes, you are. And don’t look at me like that.”

Pleasant, her mouth opening and closing like a guppy’s, gaped at them. “How can he…”

“Know what sort of look I’m giving him?” Ada asked. “Marriage. It’ll do that to you.”

“I don’t understand,” Pleasant confessed.

“We’ve been through a lot, Lorcan and I,” Ada said.

“Aye, that we have,” he agreed.

“We know each other so well, he can tell what I might be doing without saying a word and vice-versa.”

Pleasant glanced at Eli. Would they share such closeness? “What a wonderful thing.”

Ada wrapped an arm through her husband’s. “It certainly is.”

“Do you have any children?” Pleasant asked, curious.

“Yes, a daughter.” Ada said. “She’s napping, but she should wake soon.”

“Aye, and then there’ll be no peace in the place,” Lorcan said with a laugh.

“How old is she?”

“Five,” Ada replied. “Going on twenty.”