Mail-Order Bride Ink: Dear Mr. Turner (14 page)

They all laughed at that. “Let’s hope none of us have to find out,” Harrison said. “Now how about dessert in the parlor? I hear
someone
made a delicious pie.” Everyone’s eyes fixed on Pleasant.

She felt herself blush and looked at the table. “I may have whipped one up,” she said shyly.

“You made the pie again?” Eli asked.

“Without any help from us,” Belle was quick to say. “She used one of Grandma’s recipes.”

“Really?” he said. “Which one?”

“Apple,” Pleasant said with a smile. “I hope you like it.”

“Like it? I’m sure I’ll love it! Let’s get to the parlor.”

The men retired to the parlor as the women brought the pie and coffee. Pleasant hadn’t felt this excited about something since her father gave her a pony when she was seven. Merciful heavens, who would’ve thought a pie would be as exciting as a pony? Once everyone was served, she sat on the settee next to Eli and tried not to fidget.

Eli watched her and grinned. “If’n this turns out just like Grandma Waller’s, I’m gonna have to marry ya right now.”

Pleasant gasped. “Because of a piece of pie?”

“No, ‘cause of the big kiss I’ll give ya! Trust me, it’ll be downright scandalous.”

Harrison’s brow furrowed. “A peck of thanks on the cheek will do, Eli,” he warned.

“Oh Papa, really,” Honoria said.

“It’s not proper for him to, as he says, kiss her scandalously before they marry,” Harrison stated.

“Then I’ll be sure to bake any future beau of mine pies in private,” Honoria said with the tiniest hint of a smirk.

Harrison came out of his chair like a shot. “You’ll do no such thing! That is not what pie is for!”

“So I’ve learned,” Pleasant said. “You people should write a book on the subject.”

The Cookes laughed. “It’s being done,” Colin said. “Our cousins Imogene and Cutty are seeing to it. It was bound to happen eventually. Who knows if it will ever be published?”

“It could,” Sadie said.

Pleasant gasped. While they were talking, Eli had taken a bite. Everyone watched as he slowly chewed. “Don’t tease me,” she said. “And be honest!”

He swallowed. “Dagnabit!”

Pleasant’s face twisted up with concern. “What’s the matter with it? You didn’t bite into an apple seed, did you?”

“
Dagnabit …
that’s good!” He took another bite.

Pleasant’s shoulders slumped in relief as she watched the others dig in. She’d passed Eli’s test – that was the important part.

“I dare say, Miss Comfort,” Colin said. “But if you’re this nervous over a dessert, what are you going to be like when you give your first party?”

“Party?” she squeaked. Visions of dozens of people stuffed into Eli’s tiny cabin flashed before her. “Why would I give a party?”

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Sadie said. “You should give a party for your new house!”

“Yes, you’ll find folks around here do love a good party,” Harrison added. “And will use any excuse to have one. There will be your wedding supper, of course, but a house party does sound like fun. I’m sure the two of you need a few things.”

Pleasant went pale. “I’ve … never heard of … what do you mean, need a few things?”

“Because you’ve just married of course,” Harrison said. “And the house
is
new.”

“I declare, I’ve never heard of such a thing,” she said more to herself than anyone else.

“Neither had we until Mrs. MacDonald – she’s a friend of the family – told us about them,” Colin explained. “Apparently they have them all the time where she comes from.”

“Where does she come from?” Pleasant asked.

The Cookes looked at each other. “By Jove, none of us have ever thought to ask,” Harrison said. “Back East someplace, I believe.”

“Well, I think it’s a lovely idea,” Belle said. “After your wedding, we’ll plan it.”

“Hosting a party in that tiny …” Pleasant stopped and made a show of clearing her throat. “… in that cute little cottage?”

“Maybe we oughta wait until I get the attic bedroom done,” Eli suggested. “Then we’d have more room for folks.”

“Jolly good – we’ll help!” Harrison volunteered. “Won’t we, brother?”

“Of course,” Colin said. “The sooner you get the job done, the sooner we can have the party. In fact, we’ll rope Logan into it as well. Another pair of hands is always welcome.”

“Shucks, fellas,” Eli said. “Ya don’t hafta do that. Chase and Levi should be enough.”

“Consider it another wedding gift,” Colin said. “Besides, it will take forever if you’re the only three working on it. Each can only spare a day here and there.”

Eli sighed. “True ‘nough. I guess I cain’t argue with that.”

“Then it’s all settled,” Harrison said. “After your wedding on Sunday, we’ll get to it.”

Eli looked at Pleasant and winked. “Ain’t it nice to have such great folks ‘round?”

She smiled in contentment. “Indeed. It’s like an answer to prayer.”

“Well then, welcome to Clear Creek, sweetie!” He leaned toward her, glanced at an unsuspecting Harrison – and kissed her right on the mouth!

“Eli!” Harrison cried and popped out of his chair.

“That’s giving it to her, Eli!” Honoria called just as loudly.

Harrison’s head snapped around to her as he gasped. “You keep quiet, young lady! That –” He pointed at the kissing couple. “– is
not
what pie is about!”

Honoria started to laugh. “Then why are you letting them, Papa?” she asked in delight.

Harrison gawked at the couple. “Eli Turner! Take your lips off of that woman!”

Eli broke the kiss. Pleasant sat breathless, able only to stare at him in bewilderment. Eli, however, looked delighted.

“Now, Harrison …,” Sadie interjected, trying to calm him down.

“I think it’s time Mr. Turner went home!” Harrison exclaimed as he crossed to the settee, grabbed Eli’s arm and yanked him to his feet.

Eli didn’t care, his eyes intent on his future bride. “Like I said, sweetie, now I’m gonna have to marry ya tomorrow.”

Pleasant starred at him in wonder and nodded.

T
hat night
Pleasant lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling, still in awe of the kiss Eli had bestowed upon her. Harrison was upset over it for hours after. Merciful heavens, if the man was like this with her, practically a stranger, what was he going to be like when Honoria was courting?

She sighed in resignation. “Poor girl,” she muttered. Any beau of Honoria’s would be lucky to survive long enough to wed!

She smiled as she turned over and snuggled beneath the covers. Thank Heaven Sadie had sent the children upstairs to play after supper, or they’d have witnessed Eli’s ardor. The poor little dears would never look at pie the same again.
She
would never look at one the same again, that was certain. In fact, she wasn’t sure what Harrison was more upset about: Eli’s kiss, or that they’d given pie a whole new meaning in Clear Creek.

She was never going to get to sleep at this rate. So she thought of her wedding dress and what would take place over the next few days. Sunday couldn’t come quick enough now. She couldn’t understand how a single kiss could make her feel so … so … hmmm, how did she feel? Other than stupendously wonderful, of course!

Pleasant giggled and went back to staring at the ceiling, her eyes bright with anticipation. “I couldn’t possibly be falling in love. Could I?” She supposed she could.

But what did it feel like to be in love? She had no idea. Maybe she should ask Sadie or Belle. That might be embarrassing … but she shouldn’t be embarrassed asking friends about such things – and the two women were
her friends now. Which of her friends back home would help her as much as these two women had so far?

It was a sobering thought, one that convinced her all the more that she’d made the right decision in becoming a mail-order bride. She would miss her family and Comfort Fields, but who knew how long it would take her brothers and father to come around to her way of thinking? She wouldn’t miss Rupert Jerney at all – her life with him would have been beyond miserable. She just knew it.

Now that she better understood the fear holding her back from marrying Eli, it had dissipated considerably. Money wasn’t everything, and she was quickly learning that good friends were much more important than material possessions. The people of Clear Creek had shown her that.

She breathed another sigh of contentment, closed her eyes and finally went to sleep.

The next day, the women went to town and joined the other ladies at the church to work on her dress. Unfortunately, she didn’t see Eli that day. He got stuck with guard duty, a job that extended into the evening as Henry Fig had caught a cold. That meant she didn’t see him the following day either – he was probably at home catching up on his sleep.

It didn’t help when Fanny informed the other women that even though Henry was back to work and feeling better, he wanted to be home at night with her. That meant Eli was stuck on the night watch again. His brother, the sheriff, was out of town, checking on the outlying farms – there were reports of other outlaws slinking about, and he wanted to make sure folks were taking precautions.

At this rate, Pleasant would be lucky to see Eli before Sunday. At least she knew she’d see him then. It was their wedding day, after all.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll meet with your groom before the big day,” Belle assured her as they entered the church on Friday.

“I hope so,” she said. “I … I miss him.”

“That’s a good thing,” Belle said. “And who knows, perhaps you’ll see him today.”

Pleasant smiled at the thought. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about his kiss since that fateful dessert. She’d been baking pies ever since (much to Harrison’s dismay) and each one sent her into a dreamlike state as she thought about her future husband. What would his kiss be like on their wedding day? And what would Harrison Cooke do then? She giggled at the thought as she took a seat.

“What’s so funny?” Sadie asked.

The giggle turned into a laugh. “Nothing, really. Just thinking.”

“Well I’m glad to see you so happy,” Sadie said. “Come Sunday everyone will be.”

“Why is that?”

“Because we haven’t had a wedding here in a long time. Though as our children grow, I suspect we’ll see quite a few in the future.”

Pleasant glanced at Honoria across the church, speaking with Annie. “Yes, I would imagine so.”

Sadie caught her looking at her daughter. “Though the wedding after yours might take a while to come about. We do seem to have a shortage of acceptable men.”

“Too old or too young?” Pleasant asked.

“Both. Thankfully Honoria doesn’t seem to mind. Marriage doesn’t much interest her yet. But it will.”

“Of course it will. I became a mail-order bride because I had to – I wasn’t interested in marriage yet either.”

Sadie stiffened. “You
had
to?”

“Because of … economics, you see. There’s no end of money trouble where I come from.” It was a version of the truth.

“Ah, I understand,” Sadie said with a nod. “Now while you and the rest of the ladies are finishing up your dress, I’ll be at the hotel discussing the decorations with Ada and Sally.”

Pleasant nodded as relief washed over her. She didn’t want to tell them yet exactly why she’d left. She should, however, pen a quick note to Mrs. Pettigrew to let her know she’d arrived safely and that by the time the letter arrived, she’d be married.

Mary Mulligan came in, interrupting her thoughts. She, Annie, Belle, Sadie and Pleasant herself had done most of the fine stitch work the previous day. Fanny Fig and Irene Dunnigan had showed up, saw they weren’t really needed and went back to their own business. A good thing, as Pleasant learned more in a smaller group – and when the two most volatile members of the sewing circle weren’t sniping at her or each other.

Anyway, the dress should be done today, which would leave them all free to work on the decorations tomorrow, and any cooking and baking that remained. Back home Pleasant wouldn’t have had to lift a finger except to order everyone around. But doing the work herself made her feel more satisfied than she ever had in her life. The same was true with baking a pie or helping Sadie and Belle prepare meals. Merciful heavens, she even discovered she didn’t mind ironing!

What would her friends back in Savannah think? Easy – she’d be a laughingstock. But if her father had lost Comfort Fields, they’d have been a laughingstock anyway. She might as well be on the other side of the country and happy.

She wondered how her brothers were doing, and if they’d forgiven her for running away. Would she ever see them again? If she did, would they be willing to speak to her? She might never know. It was a price she knew she might have to pay for leaving. But Eli was wonderful, as were the people of Clear Creek. If not for them, she might well be lost in despair at this point.

They finished the dress that afternoon, organized the decorations, went home, made dinner … and before Pleasant knew it, Saturday had arrived. The women spent the entire day cooking and baking, just as she’d anticipated, and by the time supper came around, she was exhausted.

“We were hoping Eli would join us for supper,” Belle said. “But I think he’s got guard duty again tonight.”

“How much longer will the outlaws be in Clear Creek?” Pleasant asked.

“At least until the judge comes through, which I imagine will be soon. Perhaps even Monday.”

“What a relief that will be,” she said. “I would hate to be home by myself every night after we’re married.”

“Oh dear, that would be awful,” Belle agreed with a giggle. “It wouldn’t be much of a honeymoon without Eli. But I’m sure Sheriff Turner will work something out – he’s back now.”

“I hope he does,” Pleasant said. “Otherwise I’ll be a very lonely bride.”

“We can’t have that,” Belle said with a wink.

Pleasant blushed. Over the last few days the Cooke women had taken it upon themselves to explain to her the finer points of the marriage bed. As it turned out, a lot more than kissing went on behind closed doors. Pleasant felt her blush deepen and turned her face away in order to hide it.

Thankfully Belle started talking again. “Aunt Irene’s in an uproar over the wedding cake. She doesn’t understand why she can’t have a go at making one for once, and why she’s always stuck with the supper.”

“Has it become a tradition for Sally to make the cakes and your aunt to be in charge of the main meal?” Pleasant asked, glad for the change of subject.

“I guess you could say so. We’ve been doing it this way for so many years, no one thinks to change it.”

“It’s a little late for her to be arguing about it, isn’t it?” Sadie argued.

“Maybe we should tell them that for the next wedding, they’ll have to switch,” Belle suggested.

“That’s a great idea,” Sadie said. “I’ll pull them aside tomorrow at some point and tell them.”

“I don’t care who does what, I’m just glad everyone’s so willing to do it,” Pleasant said, her cheeks still pink. “I wasn’t expecting anything from anyone. In fact, I thought I’d get off the stage and be married the same day.”

“I’m sure you did,” said Sadie. “But that doesn’t happen very often around here. Sometimes, yes, but for the most part the men around here like to court their brides for a few days at least. Some of them, a few weeks.”

“Which brides were more nervous?” Pleasant asked. “The ones that got married right away or the ones that waited?”

Sadie laughed. “It all depended on the circumstances. Each one was so different. We’ll have to tell you about them all someday.”

“Like the shotgun wedding in the livery stable?” Pleasant asked with a bemused look.

“Exactly,” Sadie said. “That we’ll have to do over tea – it might take a while. There was a lot more involved than the shotgun part.”

The evening wore on, and still no Eli. He obviously wasn’t going to join them, which meant Pleasant wouldn’t see him until tomorrow. Oh well, wasn’t it supposed to be bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding anyway? Did the night before count?

After supper she helped Belle and Sadie do the dishes, then heated some water for a bath. She wanted to look her best tomorrow, and a hot bath and a chance to wash her hair would definitely help. Unfortunately, neither helped her sleep that night. Instead, Eli’s incredible kiss over their plates of pie haunted her. She spent the time imagining another and another and still another, each kiss sweeter than the last.

By the time Pleasant did fall asleep, her last thought was that she would be baking a lot of pies

* * *

“
I
’m so nervous
!” Pleasant said as Mary, Annie and Belle helped her into her wedding dress in the church office. She’d stowed it there rather than wear it through Sunday service. Besides, she didn’t want Eli to see it until she walked down the aisle. Provided he made it – she still hadn’t seen him!

It had been all she could do to sit through the service. At the end, Preacher Jo announced they’d have a little break before the wedding began so folks could go outside to visit and stretch their legs or use the privy out back. Now the pews were re-filling fast.

“Ye wouldn’t be a normal bride if ye weren’t nervous,” Mary remarked as she buttoned up the back of Pleasant’s dress. “Now hold still so I can get all of these. Where’s yer veil?”

“Merciful heavens!” Pleasant said, panicked. “None of us thought about a veil!”

“I did!” Irene shoved her way into the office. “Same thing happened with the last two brides that got married here!”

“Oh Auntie,” Belle said. “What would we do without you?”

“A whole lot worse,” Irene snapped. “I suppose it’s a good thing I didn’t have a lot of extra work at the mercantile. Otherwise I wouldn’t have had time to sew this together.”

“Thank you.” Pleasant admired the veil in Mrs. Dunnigan’s hands.

The grouchy woman’s face softened. “Think nothing of it, dear. Now put it on and let’s have a look at you.”

Sadie helped Pleasant pin the veil to her hair, then stepped back to take in Irene’s handiwork. “It’s lovely.”

“I wish there was a mirror in here,” Pleasant said nervously. “Will Eli like it?”

“He’d better,” Irene grumbled.

“Oh yes,” Belle assured her. “He’s going to bust a gut when he sees you.”

“I declare, but that sounds so … disgusting.”

“You’ve never heard that expression?” Sadie asked.

“No, I haven’t. I suppose I’ve said quite a few things that you’ve never heard, though. Right now I can’t think of a one of them, I’m too nervous.”

The other women laughed. “Ye’re beautiful, lass” Mary said. “Now I’d best get out there. Jefferson Cooke is waiting for ye to give ye away, Miss Comfort. Just use the office door that goes outside, walk around the building to the front and ye’ll find him.”

“Oh my heavens,” Pleasant said in a rush and put a hand to her temple. “That’s another thing I never thought about – giving the bride away.”

“It’s become Jefferson’s regular duty with mail-order brides,” Sadie said. “Doc Waller’s done the job a few times too.”

“They like to think of themselves as the fathers of Clear Creek,” Belle added as they began to usher Pleasant toward the door. “If we’d been thinking, we’d have let Cyrus do the job. He is technically the mayor, after all.”