Bride of Second Chances Read online

  Bride of

  Second Chances

  Ruth Ann Nordin

  Ruth Ann Nordin’s Books

  Springfield, NE 68059

  Bride of Second Chances - Smashwords Edition

  Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

  Copyright © 2011 by Ruth Ann Nordin

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover Photo images Dreamstime. www.dreamstime.com All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Ruth Ann Nordin Books

  http://www.ruthannnordin.com

  Dedication: to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who works all things for my spiritual good. Regardless of what happens in this life, I am safe in You.

  Other books by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Nebraska Historical Romance Series

  A Bride for Tom

  A Husband for Margaret

  Eye of the Beholder

  The Wrong Husband

  Shotgun Groom (coming soon)

  His Redeeming Bride

  South Dakota Historical Romance Series

  Loving Eliza

  Bid for a Bride

  Bride of Second Chances

  Native American Romance Series

  Restoring Hope

  Brave Beginnings

  Bound by Honor, Bound by Love (coming soon)

  A Chance In Time (novella) – main characters show up in Restoring Hope and Bound by Honor, Bound by Love

  Other Historical Romances

  Falling In Love With Her Husband

  Romancing Adrienne

  Meant To Be

  Omaha Brides Series

  With This Ring, I Thee Dread

  What Nathan Wants

  Virginia Brides Series

  An Unlikely Place for Love

  The Cold Wife

  An Inconvenient Marriage

  Christian Sci-Fi Thriller

  Return of the Aliens

  Prologue

  August 1900

  “There’s never been a bride as lovely as you.”

  Rebecca turned from the calm current of the stream to face her husband of only three hours and smiled. “I’m sure other men think their wives are just as lovely.”

  Jeremy Graham slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. “That’s because they aren’t married to you. How can they know any better?”

  She giggled and shook her head. “You’re biased.”

  “No. I speak the truth. Why do you think I waited until I was almost thirty before I got married? I couldn’t find the right woman until I met you. You’re the best there is, and what’s even better is I get to spend the rest of my life showing you that I mean it.”

  He took her in his arms and held her for a long moment. The shade from the trees lining their path provided a reprieve from the hot sun, but that was lost on him as he looked into her eyes. The promise of the future loomed before him, and he was so happy he thought he might burst. Every available bachelor in Lincoln, Nebraska hoped to marry her, but she chose him and he’d do everything he could to make sure she never regretted that decision.

  Glancing at a nearby tree, he thought, for once, to act on impulse. He gave her a quick kiss and said, “I have an idea.” Letting go of her, he dug into his pocket and took out a pocketknife.

  As he went over to the tree, she asked, “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to carve our names into the tree. Every time we go on this road, we’ll remember our wedding day.”

  “Oh, that’s silly.”

  “There’s nothing silly about it.” He started etching their names into the tree. “Just think of how romantic it’ll be. Years from now, we’ll take our grandchildren through here and tell them about this day.”

  She walked over to him and watched as he dug the knife into the tree bark. “That seems like such a long time from now, doesn’t it?”

  “In some ways, but it doesn’t seem like it’s been a year since we met, does it?”

  “No, it doesn’t.” She rested her hand on his shoulder and smiled. “When we take our grandchildren by this tree, we’ll have to tell them of how we met. You were such a gentleman. You were a good man from a good family. You were everything a preacher should be.”

  He smiled and stopped digging the knife into the tree. “I look forward to all the years we’ll have together.”

  “Me too.”

  He finished carving their names into the wood and added the date for good measure. Now whenever he passed by the tree, he’d think of Rebecca. Stepping back, he took a good look at their names and nodded. Perfect.

  He took her hand. “Are you ready to go home and start our new life together?”

  Squeezing his hand, she said, “Yes. I’m ready.”

  Together, they strolled by the stream and continued on to their home.

  ***

  March 1901

  Jeremy took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat. He didn’t dare turn his gaze to anyone who stood by the freshly dug hole which would be the final resting place of the person lying in the coffin. It was hard enough to hear the words without making eye contact with the other mourners. For sure, he didn’t want to hear the words from the preacher who married him and Rebecca, but he had no choice. And so he pressed through the service as he ignored the trembling of his hands and fought the urge to let his tears slide down his cheeks. Then at the end, the preacher closed the book.

  Taking a deep breath, Jeremy watched the ushers who lowered the coffin into the ground. No one had been closer to him than Rebecca, and now she was so far away from him that he couldn’t reach her.

  Chapter One

  September 1901

  Jane Syas ran the sheet across the washboard in the large tub, making sure to keep an eye on her niece and nephew who played on the swing hanging by the large oak tree in the front yard of her parents’ house. Her brother took possession of it shortly after their mother joined their father in Heaven. He said she could remain in her room, and since she was unmarried, she agreed. What she didn’t realize was that she’d be required to play the roles of maid and nanny.

  She paused in scrubbing the sheet and stretched her back to ease the kink out of it. Wiping her sweaty forehead, she took a moment to watch the eight-year-old boy swing back and forth while on his stomach. His five-year-old sister giggled and circled around him.

  For a moment, she had a vision of what she and her older sister, Rebecca, must have looked like as children. They spent hours taking turns on the swing while their older brother looked for frogs or some other creature to throw at them from where he perched on one of the tree branches. A smile tugged at her lips. Sometimes she longed to go back to her childhood, if for no other reason than to be with her sister again.

  Returning her attention to the wash, she finished cl
eaning the sheet, wrung it out and hung it on the clothesline. The warm Nebraska breeze would dry it soon enough, and then she could make the beds…after she made lunch. With a sigh, she went back to the tub, picked up the next sheet from the pile on the grass, and washed it. Sheets were, by far, the more difficult items to wash, which was why she dreaded it.

  When she finished with the sheet, she went to hang it up on the clothesline and grimaced when she heard the door to the wraparound porch open.

  “Jane, when are you coming in to start lunch? You know I’m eating for two,” came the all-too-familiar whine of her sister-in-law.

  With a sigh, Jane hung the sheet on the line before she looked over her shoulder at Susie who was in the family way. Susie had one hand on her hip and a scowl on her face. “If you’re hungry, then make a sandwich. I’m busy.” She motioned to the sheets on the ground.

  Susie rubbed her belly. “You know my ankles swell up if I stand on my feet too long. Carrying a baby is hard work.”

  Though Jane had no experience in this area of a woman’s life, she seriously doubted it was as difficult as Susie made it out to be. Biting her tongue on the response she wanted to make, she turned back to the laundry and picked up a sheet.

  “I hope your next niece or nephew doesn’t starve to death while you take your time,” Susie called out before she slammed the door shut.

  Jane gritted her teeth and scrubbed the sheet on the washboard, using more force than necessary. After taking a moment to relax, she was able to exercise more care as she washed it.

  A quarrel by the swing caught her attention, and she saw that her niece and nephew had ceased playing and were now fighting over the swing.

  “Hank, you already had your turn. Let Irene play with it,” she told them.

  Hank groaned but let go of the swing. She watched as he sulked over to the sandbox where he picked up a pail and scooped some sand into it. As she wrung out the sheet, she noted that Hank had forgotten to be upset and was humming. How quickly children got over things that bothered them, she mused.

  She turned to the clothesline and heard the whistle of Micah Wesley. She cringed. This was the second time in one laundry wash that she had to deal with someone she’d rather avoid. The thought did occur to her to hide behind one of the longer sheets, but it would be a futile effort. One of the children would tell him where she was.

  Tucking the loose strands of the brown hair securely in her bun, she headed back for the wash. Maybe if he saw how busy she was, he’d keep the visit brief. Just as he reached the swing that Irene was pushing, Jane had managed to get Hank’s sheet into the tub.

  Micah stopped whistling and spit his tobacco on the ground. “Morning, Jane.”

  Forcing a pleasant smile, she glanced up as he smoothed the thinning hair on his round head before he set his hat back on it. “Good morning, Micah. What brings you by?” As if she didn’t already know.

  “I came to see you.”

  Lathering the soap on the sheet, she asked, “Oh?”

  “Yes.” He straightened his tie and then rubbed his beer belly. “I hear there’s a potluck at Marcy and Jonathan’s home. They just had a baby, you know.”

  Her stomach tensed. This wasn’t going in the direction she wanted. When she realized he stood over her and waited for a response, she reluctantly said, “Yes, I know. They had a baby girl. She’s the cutest little thing anyone ever saw.” Clearing her throat, she shot Hank a pleading look, “Hank, do you remember when we went to pay Andrew’s parents a visit?”

  As she hoped, Hank looked over at her. “Huh?”

  “Andrew. Your friend. We went to see his new cousin. You remember?”

  He shrugged. “I remember. She don’t do nothing interesting.”

  “That’s because she’s a baby. Give her a couple of years, and she’ll be just like Irene.” Deciding to further sidetrack the conversation, she turned her attention to her niece. “Irene, honey, why don’t you tell Mr. Wesley what you thought of the baby girl we saw earlier this week?”

  Irene stopped pushing the swing and ran over to them. “We had licorice.”

  Jane laughed. “True. The children had a treat. But Irene, what did you think of the baby?”

  “The baby is pretty.” She clapped her hands. “I combed her hair.”

  “That’s right. You did.”

  “And she cued.”

  “You mean, she cooed,” Jane corrected.

  Irene placed her hands behind her back and smiled. “That’s what I said. Cued.”

  “Yes, that’s very nice, Irene,” Micah said with a nod. “Anyway, about the potluck—”

  “Irene! What’s that on your dress?” Jane gasped and made a big fuss to wipe off a stain that wasn’t there, but she figured Micah wouldn’t notice Irene’s dress was fine. She stood up and sighed. “I must take care of her right away, Micah. Her mother is exhausted, so it’s up to me to take care of emergencies.”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “Emergencies?”

  “Yes.” She picked up Irene. “Please forgive me. I hope to see you again soon.”

  Without waiting for him to reply, she hurried toward the house, not bothering to look back. He called out to her, but she pretended not to hear him and flung open the porch door. When she was safe inside, she let out her breath and went into the kitchen. She put Irene down, relieved she avoided a potentially bad situation.

  “Why did you lie?” Irene asked.

  She turned to the window and peeked out to make sure Micah was leaving, and as fortune would have it, he was.

  “Aunt Jane?”

  “I didn’t lie.”

  “Yes, you did. You said I had something on my dress, and I didn’t.”

  Jane let out an uneasy chuckle. “Oh, that. Well, I thought I saw something.” She bent down and checked her dress. “It was right here. I took care of it.”

  “No, you didn’t.” The girl crossed her arms and peered up at her. “You lied to Mr. Wesley. Preacher Graham says it’s wrong to lie. It’s one of the big commitments.”

  “That’s commandments.” Before her niece could say anything else, Jane hurried to one of the shelves and pulled down a container. She unscrewed the lid and handed her a cookie. “Have something to eat. I need to start on lunch.”

  Irene took the cookie and hurried out of the kitchen.

  Glancing out the kitchen window, Jane saw that she had two more sheets to wash. So much for her plan to finish the wash first. She’d just make sandwiches for lunch and get right back out there. Washing in cold water was preferable to going to the potluck with Micah. She shuddered and turned to the breadbox which she opened.

  “It’s about time you got in here,” Susie snapped as she brought Irene back into the kitchen. “But I don’t want you letting my daughter run through the house with a cookie. She’ll get crumbs all over the place.”

  Jane bit the urge to tell her sister-in-law that it shouldn’t matter whether the girl made a mess or not since she would make Jane clean it up. The last thing she felt like doing was getting into another argument. No matter what she said or did, she wouldn’t win because Susie was married to her brother and her brother always took Susie’s side.

  “You’re making sandwiches?” Susie didn’t hide her displeasure as she motioned for Irene to sit in a chair.

  “I believe I mentioned that when I was outside.”

  “You told me to make a sandwich. You didn’t say you were going to make sandwiches.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I’m not in the mood for a sandwich.”

  Jane pulled out the bread and took out a knife. “Then don’t eat it.”

  Susie huffed. “Isn’t that gratitude for you? My husband allows you to stay here, and you act all high and mighty. You don’t have a pot to piss in, so I suggest you learn to be gracious to those who are giving you shelter over your head and food in your stomach.”

  Jane slapped the knife on the table and glared at her. “Gratitude? Gracious? I’ve been at yo
ur beck and call ever since you moved in.”

  “Because this is your brother’s house now, and I’m his wife. It’s not my fault you’re not attractive enough to find a husband.”

  “Such a wonderful observation coming from a woman whose only attribute happens to be how she looks.”

  Susie gasped before she narrowed her eyes at her. After a tense moment between them—one in which Jane refused to break eye contact with her, Susie’s lips turned up into a smirk. “I suppose this means I’ll have a conversation with your brother when he gets home.”

  “Is that really the best you can do? Threaten to have my brother talk to me?” With all the conviction she could muster, Jane told another lie, hoping Irene wouldn’t catch on this time. “I’ll have you know he’s not a fool. He doesn’t blindly believe everything you say.”

  The ploy worked since Susie backed down. Stepping back, she grabbed her daughter’s hand and headed out of the kitchen as she called out, “I want two sandwiches.”

  Satisfied to a small extent, Jane picked up the knife and cut into the loaf of bread.

  ***

  Jeremy sat back and drummed his fingers on the desk. It was getting harder and harder to plan out his sermons. He’d just about exhausted the list of topics he’d enthusiastically created when he moved to Lincoln. Back then, he had so many ideas, he could hardly contain them all. And now…

  He glanced at the sheet of paper which rested before the open Bible on the table. The last topic was about how God could take any situation, no matter how bad it seemed, and work it for good in a person’s life. With a shake of his head, he crumbled up the paper and threw it into the trashcan. He’d have to come up with something else.

  A knock at the front door provided a much needed distraction. He got up and strode out of the informal parlor. As he made his way to the door, he put on his suit jacket.