Wyoming Mail Order Brides Boxed Set 1- 4 Page 4

  "You seem to be daydreaming," Annie sank to her knees next to her husband. "What are you thinking about?" They had enjoyed sandwiches made of boiled eggs and a bottle of fresh milk each. Simple food but wholesome and filling.

  "The farm and what will happen to our animals when the worst of winter kicks in. The barn isn't all that warm and I'm afraid the calves and chicks might freeze to death."

  "We could actually bring the calves into the house, as well as the hens. They could have a place in the living room which is warmer than the barn."

  "What about the other animals?"

  "The big cows can likely fend for themselves," Annie said. "Though the house will be crowded it will be better than the chicks and calves freezing. After all, hens and their chicks don't take up much room and our calves aren't yet large enough to cause havoc."

  "Well," Richard stood up and then held out a hand to his wife, helping her up. "Neither do I want my wife to freeze to death. It's getting cold and we need to head back home."

  Annie looked up at him and smiled, her beautiful face causing a warm feeling to come over him and he almost blurted out his feelings of love there and then but something caused him to hang back. There would be time enough for that later. They still had to get to know each other better, and as far as he could tell, he knew next to nothing about Annie save for the fact that she had come to him as a pregnant widow. Whenever he tried to bring up the subject of her life back in Plymouth she evaded the topic and pretended to be busy doing something.

  Well, he couldn't really complain because she was just the kind of wife any normal man would have wanted. More than once he silently thanked his friend Jeremy for rejecting Annie. It meant Jeremy didn't have a wife, but Richard felt like he'd won the lottery. He loved bringing her little gifts from the mercantile and when he had seen some soft balls of wool, he bought them for her, and to his delight she was already knitting small booties and cardigans for the baby. She'd surprised him with a thick warm sweater too, which he liked to wear to church, a habit they had started about a month after her arrival.

  They walked back to the farm, each lost in their own thoughts. "Richard, may I ask you something?"

  "Yes dear, you may," he carried the now empty picnic basket easily, watching carefully to see that she did not miss a step. "What do you want to know?"

  "It's my belief that every farmer owns horses, how is it that we do not have any?"

  "Well, whenever I need a horse, all I have to do is ask Jeremy for one. You see, I am not yet making enough enough from the farm to keep a horse."

  "I thought horses took care of themselves and don't need much fussing over."

  "Well they do, but there are also things like visits to the veterinary and the farriers - and frankly those are expenses that the farm is not yet able to sustain. Do you want a horse?"

  "No, I just thought it odd that we have a farm and don't own any horses."

  "By and by, with the Lord's help our farm will improve and then we can have as many horses as we need."

  That night Richard couldn't sleep as he thought about his life with Annie. They were struggling financially and couldn't afford much but Annie seemed happy. He was humbled when he thought about how brave she was in the face of the harsh reality of poverty and he wished he could provide better for her. She deserved the good things in life and he made a silent promise that when their lives improved he would see to it that she never lacked for anything.

  He also realized that for a woman to live with the scarcity currently facing them, she had to feel strongly committed to their life together, so Annie must have feelings for him. She was brave and he chuckled silently as he recalled her shooting the three rustlers who'd tried to rob them of their livelihood. The three men had been saved by the Sheriff from a lynching by irate farmers who'd found out about their nefarious activities. Many of the farmers had lost animals to the rustlers and were ready to take the law into their own hands, but the Sheriff forestalled them.

  "Lord, with your help Annie and I can build a happy life together," he mumbled a prayer sleepily. He was looking forward to the birth of the child, because to him, it somehow signified a new beginning for them, new hope and a bright future.

  ~#~#~#~

  Could any woman be happier than she was, Annie mused as she walked next to her husband in town. Richard was not afraid of taking her hand in public and in the first days of their marriage when they came to town together, she'd blushed at the glances thrown her way and commented to Richard about it.

  "Most women envy you that you have a husband who likes holding your hand, while the men are wishing you were their wife," was his reply and gradually Annie stopped feeling shy. If anything, she reveled in feeling Richard's large warm callused hand holding hers. It gave her such a sense of security that she felt everything in her life was going perfectly.

  He'd told her that he wanted to surprise her and that it awaited her in the mercantile. Like an excited child Annie rushed to get ready and now they were approaching the general store. Someone brushed roughly against her, almost causing her to lose her balance and she exclaimed.

  "What is it?" Richard asked in concern, steadying her.

  "It was that awful man who almost knocked me down," she turned to glare at the culprit and found sinister eyes observing her. She gave an involuntary shiver and felt as though someone had poured icy water down her back. Suddenly she began to feel afraid but she had no idea why. Richard felt her shiver and tightened his hold on her hand. With one last glance at the man, who was still staring at her, she stepped into the mercantile with her husband.

  "Joe, where is the surprise for my wife?" Richard called out to the store owner. "I told you I would bring her over to see it."

  "Right this way ma'am," Joe, a small elderly man who was swift on his feet led the way to the back of the store. "Your husband asked me to get this for your coming baby," he pointed at a lovely wooden crib which was painted white. "I got the exact one you asked for Richard."

  Annie's eyes filled with tears and she soon forgot about the nasty incident right outside the store. "It's so beautiful," she said in a hushed voice. The crib came complete with a small mattress and soft blankets. Annie reached down and picked up a blanket and held it to her cheek, closing her eyes and becoming lost in the moment.

  "It belonged to my daughter's youngest who is now almost ten years old. Just a fresh coat of paint is all it needed." Joe smiled at Ruth. "I told your husband he can carry it home any time he wants, but he says he wants to finish paying for it first. That his child will not be laid to sleep in a bed that has a debt hanging over it."

  Annie looked at Richard in surprise and he blushed. She felt happy that he was already referring to her child as his, and her hand automatically went to her stomach. Richard's eyes followed the movement and he nodded slightly. It was such an intimate moment that the store owner felt it too and smiled, showing his teeth that over the years had been blackened by tobacco.

  "We need to get a few more things," he said. "Next few weeks we should be able to pay the full amount for the crib and then I'll bring it home." He left Annie standing beside the crib and went to pick up the supplies they needed. She spent a few more minutes touching the crib and then with a sigh, turned to join her husband.

  "I need to see if Mrs. Willows has a good piece of beef for us," Annie announced and left her husband settling their account with Joe. As she stepped out of the mercantile she felt someone grip her elbow. "What..." She hissed, turning in anger to find out who was accosting her, and her fear returned when she saw it was the stranger with sinister eyes who had bumped into her earlier. "What do you want?"

  "Trying to pretend to be a good wife eh!" The man jeered.

  "Who are you and what do you want with me?"

  "Better not cause a scene little missy or else the town will know just what kind of a woman you are," the man said through gritted teeth. Annie was too frightened to react and went like a lamb to th
e slaughter. When they were away from view of the mercantile the man turned her to face him. "You are Annie Duvall, I know you very well." He sneered and spat on the ground, much to her disgust. "You killed a man in Plymouth and thought the law would not find you?'

  "I ...." Annie almost fainted.

  The man nodded. "The man you killed was my friend and you will pay." Annie stared helplessly at the man and he knew he had her. "If you don't want me to tell the Sheriff that a murderer dwells in his town then you better tell your husband to come up with money for me, and fast."

  "But we don't have any money," she blurted out.

  "Well, find some. Tell him to sell his farm or anything of value. I'm giving you three weeks to come up with five thousand dollars, or else the Sheriff will get to know of your actions back in Plymouth. And you can be sure that the police in Plymouth are looking for you." With this he tipped his hat at her and left her standing in the middle of the street, looking at him with stricken eyes.

  Richard frowned when he stepped out of the mercantile and found his wife standing as still as a rock in the middle of the street. Horse drawn chaises passed on either side of her but she seemed oblivious to whatever was going on around her. He hurried to her, concern written all over his face.

  "What's happened? Is it time for the baby?" She shook her head, and when he looked into her eyes he saw such fear in them that he was instantly alarmed. Something had terrified her and when he looked about he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Annie looked like she'd seen a ghost.

  On the way home Annie was silent and she was glad Richard had borrowed Jeremy's buggy. He was concentrating on driving the horses and so couldn't question her, but she knew that once they got home, he would demand to know what had happened. She thought about lying to him but knew it was only a matter of time before the evil man sought him out to tell him about her past. Richard did not have five thousand dollars and if he was forced to sell a part of his farm it would devastate him. He had already suffered enough losses and she was not going to cause him any more, so she decided to tell him everything immediately they got home.

  ~#~#~#~

  Chapter Seven

  "That's what happened," Annie said, her head bowed. Her husband was silent, too silent and she wished she could tell what he was thinking. "Please say something," she begged tearfully, but her plea was met with a deafening silence.

  Richard could not believe what he'd just heard. His sweet, innocent looking wife was a murderer, probably wanted by the police back in Plymouth; and it was only a matter of time before they caught up with her. He'd be branded as an accomplice and sent to jail. That would mean losing his farm and animals, his dreams fading into oblivion. He was seated on their couch in the living room and she stood in front of him, too agitated to sit down.

  Finally he spoke. "Were you just using me until you could get back on your feet again after the baby is born? Is that it Annie?" he demanded. "After the baby is born were you intending to stay with me or run to the next town?"

  Annie fell to her knees at his feet, sobbing in anguish. "I would never do that to you Richard, please." She wept. "I never meant to hurt that man," she shook her head helplessly. What would she do if Richard turned her out now? She wouldn't blame him because when the law caught up with her, he would be incriminated as well, yet he was innocent.

  "Then why didn't you tell me?"

  "Because I was afraid."

  "So when that man from Plymouth comes here to Tipton, this is the time when you want to begin telling the truth Annie? When things are so bad?" His tone was angry and he couldn't help it because he was scared. Trouble seemed to be dogging his every footstep and he couldn't help but wonder whether his life would ever change for the better.

  "Please," she held out a feeble hand but he ignored it. He stood up abruptly and went to his room. The loud slam of the door made Annie wince and she collapsed on the floor, her bosom heaving.

  Neither of them had any appetite for the delicious food she'd prepared, and supper was a silent and strained affair. Richard pushed his half eaten plate away and stood up. "What was the name of the man you killed?" he demanded.

  "Why?"

  "Just tell me what his name was and where you lived in Plymouth."

  "Roger Bright, his name was Roger Bright. We lived on 24 Down Street," she said sadly. "Richard ...."

  He ignored her and walked to his room once again. This time he didn't slam the door but the decisive click spoke volumes. Richard had never locked his door before. Maybe he thought she would murder him in his sleep and the thought filled her with such deep sadness and anguish that she almost moaned out aloud.

  Richard tossed and turned, sleep evading him. "How could his lovely wife be a murderer?" he wondered. "Was she a victim of circumstances or was she a cold blooded killer?" Perhaps she was covering up a vile past about which he had no knowledge, and it was up to him to find out before things became worse. Maybe he should find out for himself before he was implicated in her evil activities.

  "Don't always believe all you hear," a still, small voice told him. "Look beyond the obvious."

  "Murder, we are talking about murder here. Annie killed someone," he argued.

  "Look beyond the obvious," the voice insisted.

  Richard thought for a while before coming to a decision. He would travel to Plymouth and find out what had really happened. He didn't want to believe that Annie was an evil person. There was more going on than either of them knew and the best way to solve the mystery was for him to go right to the source, where it all began. What if Annie was innocent and deserving of his protection? If he stayed around waiting for trouble to come to them it might be too late. He would leave first thing in the morning, and would not rest until he knew the absolute truth about what had happened to Annie. At least he had a name and residence to start with. The rest would follow.

  When Annie woke up the next morning Richard was long gone and she read the brief note he had left with tears in her eyes.

  "I have gone to Plymouth to find out the truth Annie. I don't know when I'll be back." Annie shook her head helplessly as the brevity of the note sank in. It could only mean one thing. Richard had left her. He didn't want her and so he left. She kept remembering his anger and it frightened her. She'd never seen him angry before, not even when they lost their animals in the fire; then he had been sad and filled with despair.

  "What will I do?" She covered her face with her hands and wept. "Lord, please help me."

  After weeping for a long time Annie decided she would have to move on with her life. Perhaps Richard had left because he didn't want to chase her away, and hoped the hardships she faced on the farm would drive her away. Then she chided herself for such an unkind thought. Richard was not mean. He probably just needed to get away for a while and like he said, he wanted to find out the truth about what had happened.

  But should she continue to stay on the farm alone? Should she keep on looking after the property of a man who believed she was a murderer and did not love her? Now Richard would never love her like she'd hoped. Maybe when he returned he would hand her over to the Sheriff to face the judgment she'd run away from.

  The baby kicked and she placed a hand on her stomach. "Child, what a world to come into, what a life," she sighed. "I promise that whatever happens I will love you always and care for you in every way possible." The child kicked again and she laughed. "Thank you," she cried out, looking upwards. The child brought her back to her senses. She would be strong. Right now this was the only safe place she could stay until she had her child. Richard hadn't asked her to leave so she would stay and look after his property. She owed him that much, even though it would take its toll on her.

  Being heavily pregnant meant that she tired easily but Annie was determined that nothing would keep her down. She would handle the chores as usual, taking care to ensure that when Richard returned he would find his home in order. Even though he would likely kick her out, s
he would keep the farm going as a way of thanking him for giving her shelter when she needed it.

  Annie walked around their yard looking at everything they owned – he owned, she corrected herself because it wasn't her property. All this belonged to Richard. She'd come to love this place so much and could not imagine leaving it. Here, her life was very simple and she didn't have to worry so much about the things that had vexed her in Plymouth like, rent and food.

  They didn't have much but at least they had something to eat each day. And no one knocked on her door demanding rent or illicit favors. Richard had showed her kindness from the moment she arrived and to repay him, she would be the best farm manager anyone ever had.

  She'd fallen in love with her husband but he would never return her love now that he knew she had killed someone. No one would believe she'd been trying to defend her virtue. When it came to a man's word over that of a poor woman in matters concerning virtue, it was always the woman who came off second best.

  ~#~#~#~

  Chapter Eight

  Two weeks passed and still there was no word from Richard. Winter had arrived and just like she had told her husband, she brought the chickens and calves into the house to keep them warm. She was glad that Richard had chopped enough wood to last a good while and she made sure the fire in the stove never died down. She realized how lucky she was to have wood to burn in her stove because the majority of farmers on the Plains only had dried cow patties to burn. It was the wife's job to collect the filthy things in a barrow and they made a house stink. Richard had spared her this task by hauling wood and he'd even planted trees along one side of the house as a wind break, hoping that they would also provide wood for burning when they were bigger. He was also going to apply for another 160 acre land grant, just for growing timber. It had taken a while, but the Government had finally realized that a single land grand was not sufficient for both farming and growing the necessary timber to ensure a landholders success. Meantime, Annie was grateful for yet another instance of Richard saving her from an unsavory task with the dung patties.