Nordin, Ruth Ann - South Dakota Series 02 - Bid for a Bride (2 page)

"Alright then," Eliza said. "I’ll pay for these items and we’ll be on our way."

Brian nodded and went back outside to see if he could find out anything else pertaining to this new woman in town. His back rested against the store, and he focused on the conversations going on around him. Most of it was useless chatter, but he did pick up interesting pieces about a beautiful blond woman with brown eyes. What blond and brown meant, he’d never know.

He’d been born blind, but he could talk to a person and get an idea of beauty, at least as he saw it.

The sound of his mother’s footsteps on the boardwalk notified him of her approach. He tucked his walking stick under one arm and held out his hands. "I’ll take the box to the wagon."

She set the heavy box on his hands and took him by the elbow to lead him forward. "The path is clear."

He proceeded to walk down the boardwalk, counting the steps from where they parked the wagon and turned toward it. He counted two more steps and stepped down, his foot hitting the soft road.

"It’s a real sad state of affairs when people go about this world unloved," Eliza softly said. "It’s just not fair."

He couldn’t agree more. He touched the side of the wagon until he found a place to put the box. After he set his stick on the seat of the wagon, he put the box down. Then he turned to his mother who took his hand so he could help her onto the seat.

Pushing himself off the ground, he jumped onto the wooden seat beside her.

"It’s a bright and sunny day," she told him.

The input was unnecessary, for he felt the warmth from the sun.

He tipped his hat back so he could feel it on his face. He always enjoyed that, even when he was a child.

He heard Eliza unlock the brake and pick up the reins.

"You ready?"

"Yes." He held onto the seat and adjusted his weight as the horses pulled the wagon forward.

"We’ll stop by the lumber store on our way out of town. Then you and your pa can work on that kitchen table tomorrow."

He nodded, not caring about making furniture at the moment.

"I heard the marshal say the man ran off with the horse and left the buggy. He was in a hurry to get out of here." Much as his real father had run off that day. "You can’t help but feel sorry for her," he admitted.

"No, you can’t," Eliza replied. "It’s a real shame."

They remained silent as the horses’ hooves pounded the dirt and the wagon gave its familiar gentle sway. When she slowed, he got ready for the slight jerk as the wagon came to a stop and turned to get down. Once he reached her side, he helped her down. He decided to leave the stick in the wagon since he was familiar with the layout of Addy’s house.

Eliza took him by the elbow. "The path is clear."

Counting the steps to the front door, he caught the sigh that escaped his mother’s lips and knew her heart went out to the young woman. Well, who wouldn’t sympathize? Whatever the details were, one couldn’t help but feel bad for her. They reached the front door and he knocked on it.

Eliza let go of his arm.

He turned his attention to the approaching footsteps and stepped back to allow Addy room to open the screen door.

"Hello, Eliza and Brian," Addy called out. "What brings you here?"

"To be honest, we happened to overhear news about a scared young woman and wanted to know if we could do anything to help," Eliza answered.

"Really, what she needs to know is that she has a home in this town," Addy said. "She’s not up for talking."

"Do you think we should leave?" Eliza asked.

Brian wanted to protest, but Addy said, "Come on in. I’ve run out of things to talk about. It’d help to have a chatterbox like you here, Eliza."

"What do you know?" Eliza told Brian. "My gift of gab is useful after all."

Brian’s lips curled up into a smile. "I don’t think Pa minds."

"No, he doesn’t."

Addy chuckled. "Well, come on in. We just had an early supper and were about to have some coffee. I have some cookies you can snack on."

His mouth watered in anticipation as he followed his mother into the house. "What kind of cookies?"

"Peanut butter with bits of chocolate in them."

He noted the amusement in her voice. "You know my weakness, Mrs. Garrison." Grinning, he followed the two women to the kitchen.

Lucy looked up from her cup as a man and a woman followed Addy into the kitchen. The woman took off her hat and revealed the prettiest shade of red hair Lucy had ever seen. The younger man stood half a foot taller than the woman. When he took his hat off, he ruffled his blond hair. His blue eyes stared off into the distance, making Lucy wonder what was different about him.

Addy motioned to the newcomers and told Lucy, "This is Eliza Evans, my dearest friend in the entire world, and this is her son, Brian Evans." Turning to Eliza and Brian, she said, "This is Lucy…" She glanced at Lucy. "I’m sorry. What’s your last name?"

Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, Lucy said, "Nilles."

A good twenty-four hours ago, she relished saying that was her last name, but now…

Eliza smiled at her. "How do you do?"

Lucy looked into the woman’s kind eyes and felt a sudden kinship with her that she couldn’t explain.

Surprised by the strange reaction, she cleared her throat and shrugged. "Fine now, I think." She didn’t know what else to say, and whenever people asked that kind of question, it was the response they expected.

Eliza took Brian’s hand and held out her other hand to Lucy.

"Brian’s blind, so he prefers to shake hands when he meets someone."

"Oh." Lucy set the cup down on the table and shook his hand, noting the solid strength in his touch.

"Uh… hello, Brian."

He smiled and turned his gaze in her direction. "Good afternoon, Lucy."

Even though he was blind, she felt as though he could see her.

Clearing her throat, she removed her hand from his, glad the odd exchange was over with. Her mother once commented that when a person lost one sense, the other senses grew sharper, and now she had no doubt as to the truth of that statement. She didn’t like the thought that this stranger might pick up on her sin. She married a married man. Her face heated with shame, and she quickly picked up her cup and took another sip of coffee.

Addy nudged Eliza. "Don’t be shy, you two. Have a seat and I’ll serve up some cookies."

Brian pulled out a chair for Eliza and waited until she sat down before he pushed it in. He turned toward Addy.

"Go on and sit," Addy told him. "I’ll be up and down getting things as they’re needed."

He nodded and sat next to his mother, which happened to be directly across from Lucy.

It was unnerving that he stared in her direction. He seldom blinked or moved his eyes. Lucy shifted in her chair so that she didn’t have to look at him.

"Brian’s my adopted son," Eliza spoke up while Addy set a plate of cookies in the middle of the table.

"John and I found him when he was eight."

Unsure of how to respond, Lucy picked up a cookie and bit into it. She didn’t know why Eliza would share this information with her. They’d just met after all, but she suspected Eliza’s intentions were good.

"John and I couldn’t have a child together, so finding Brian was an answer to our prayers," Eliza continued.

Lucy’s hands trembled so she quickly set the cookie on the plate Addy set out for her and smoothed them on her dress. A child? Her heart raced with dread. What would she do if her time with Adam resulted in a child? From across the table, Brian’s eyebrows furrowed, and she struggled not to bolt from the room. He couldn’t know what she was thinking. No one could read another person’s mind.

But he sensed her unease. She was sure he did.

Addy poured more coffee into Lucy’s cup before making her rounds to everyone else’s cup. "John is mute, so John and Brian had to work out a system to communicate. It took awhile, didn’t it, Eliza?"

"A good year." Eliza nodded and turned back to Lucy. "We had to learn sign language. John signs the words and Brian touches his hands so he knows what John is telling him."

"Quite clever if you ask me," Addy said as she finally took her seat and picked up her cookie.

"Well, to be fair, your daughter knew a man who could teach us," Eliza told Addy with a smile.

"It works well," Brian spoke up. "I rarely misunderstand what Pa means."

"Those two are close," Eliza said. "They make furniture together out at our place. It’s quiet and simple out there." She chuckled. "Though I suppose with me chatting away, it’s not so quiet. As you can tell, I talk a lot more than Brian."

Lucy offered a slight smile, finding the comment amusing since she could already tell Eliza enjoyed talking.

A knock at the door caused Addy to stand up. "I’ll get that," she said and swallowed the bite of cookie before she wiped her hands on her apron and hastened to the door.

"It sure is busy at Addy’s house," Eliza replied. "You’re in good hands with her, Lucy. She’s got a heart of gold."

"Yes, I can see that," Lucy agreed.

"Brian likes to come for the tasty treats." Eliza giggled. "I’m afraid I’m not very good at cooking."

"You do fine," Brian said finally glancing in his mother’s direction.

"It’s edible," Eliza replied. "I haven’t killed anyone yet, and that counts for something."

At that, Lucy laughed, but her laughter died when she saw the preacher and another man following Addy into the kitchen. She tensed, barely aware that Brian shifted in his chair in response.

"Mrs. Nilles, ma’am," the preacher said, taking off his hat. "This is the marshal."

Lucy gripped the edge of the table and stood. This was it. They were going to put her in jail. Brian stood as well, but she ignored him. She forced her attention on the two imposing men who had grim looks on their faces.

The marshal stepped forward, and she resisted the urge to step back. "We have a private matter to discuss with you, ma’am. I hope you don’t mind coming with us."

She wanted to say no, but she knew she couldn’t.

Eliza stood and held Lucy’s hand. "Would it help if one of us went with you?" Lucy glanced from Addy to Eliza and nodded, purposely avoiding Brian who continued to stay back and observe everything.

"I’ll go," Addy said and put her arm around Lucy’s shoulders.

"It’ll be alright. You don’t have anything to worry about, Lucy."

Lucy’s lower lip trembled. That was easy for Addy to say. She didn’t just commit bigamy.

"The marshal and preacher are good men," Brian spoke, startling her. "They won’t hurt you."

"He’s right," Eliza added. "You’re in good hands with these two."

Not at all reassured by any of the people in the room, Lucy reluctantly followed the marshal and preacher. Addy held her close and went with her. Had it not been for Addy’s strength, Lucy thought she might collapse. The entire day had been a nightmare, and this was one horrible continuation of it.

How different things looked for her only a week ago when she exchanged vows with Adam and departed from Minnesota, saying good-bye to her family.

At the doorway, Addy stopped and handed her the bonnet which Lucy mechanically put on her head.

Addy followed suit with her own bonnet and placed her arm back around Lucy’s shoulders. They went with the men to the jailhouse, and Lucy felt her stomach toss and turn. As she went through the entrance, she feared she might lose her supper and prayed it was nerves and not a baby that made her sick. Women didn’t experience sickness so early in pregnancy, did they? She struggled to remember everything her mother taught her but her mind drew a blank.

The marshal pointed to the seats in front of his desk. "Have a seat, ma’am, Mrs. Garrison. I’ll be right back."

After he left, the preacher smiled reassuringly at them.

"There’s nothing to worry about. We’ll get this mess straightened out."

Lucy fell into the chair, her shoulders sagging. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks.

Addy sat down and reached for her hand. "You’ll be alright. You’re not in trouble."

"She’s right, ma’am. You have nothing to worry about," the preacher said.

"I don’t?" Lucy asked, peering up at him.

"No. This isn’t your crime. It’s Adam’s," he replied.

"But… but I married him," she cried, taking the apron Addy handed her so she could wipe her eyes.

"You didn’t know he was married, did you?" he asked.

Appalled, she shook her head. "No. Of course not. I would never have married him if I’d known."

"Then you are innocent in this crime. You didn’t know he was married. The marshal’s going to send out word for Adam’s arrest. In the meantime, we’ll get the marriage annulled."

It took her a moment to register the fact that she wasn’t in trouble after all, and when she did, she cried even harder but this time with an overwhelming sense of relief. She wasn’t going to jail. They weren’t going to lock her away for life. Her hands shook as she dabbed her eyes.

The marshal returned to the jailhouse and brought another man with him. "You’re in luck, Mrs. Nilles.

The judge is making his round through our town this week."

She glanced from one man to another, not sure she understood their meaning.

The judge had some papers in his hand, and he tipped his hat in her direction. "This won’t take long, ma’am. The marshal explained the situation, and we’ll get the paperwork started to annul your marriage. It’ll be like the marriage never happened."

"You can do that? I mean, it’s that simple?" Lucy asked.

"It’s the United States’ law," the judge said. "The man you married is the one liable for the crime. Not you. I just need your help filling out these forms, and we’ll get things taken care of, alright?" She nodded. The tension in her stomach eased as Addy rubbed her back, and she proceeded to tell the judge everything he needed to know.