The Mail Order Bride's Deception Page 6

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she lowered the fabric and glanced at Gilbert who was scooting across the floor. It did her no good to think of her mother. Instead, she determined she would be a better mother. She would never sell Gilbert. If Al died and they had no money or place to stay, she’d go out and do whatever she had to in order to make sure he had something to eat. And if she couldn’t… Well, she’d stay with him and, depressing as it would be, she’d die with him. There was no way she’d ever abandon him.

  The front door opened so she turned her head in time to see Al come into the cabin with a rifle. “I caught sight of an elk not far from here. I’m going to see if I can get him. If I can, we’ll be in good shape this winter.”

  Recalling the amount of food he had saved in his cellar, she thought he had enough already, but she certainly couldn’t fault him for wanting extra—just in case.

  “Will you be alright with Gilbert?” he asked.

  “I’ll be fine,” she assured him.

  “I hope I won’t be too long, but sometimes it’s hard to tell. If I come back with it, I’ll show you how I cut up and preserve the meat.”

  Though the task didn’t appeal to her at all, she realized she might have to do this chore in the future…or at least help him with it. “Alright.”

  “Good luck on the dress.”

  She smiled as he closed the door.

  With another glance at Gilbert, she saw that he was content and turned her attention back to sewing. As she continued to pull the thread through the fabric, her mind drifted off to Hazel and that fateful day that made Sadie decide to come to Rapid City…

  The woman moaned and Sadie leaned forward.

  “Miss?” Sadie whispered, pressing her hand against the woman’s cheek. She still had a fever and if Sadie was right, it was worse.

  The woman grimaced and murmured something about water, so Sadie jumped up to pour her a glass.

  “Here. Drink this.” She brought the woman’s head up so she could sip the cool liquid.

  The woman started coughing and Sadie hurried to retrieve a clean cloth by the bed. As she feared, there was blood—more so than before. This wasn’t good. It couldn’t be good. Maybe she was just a prostitute, but the fact that the woman’s condition was getting worse didn’t bode well.

  “Hold on, Miss,” Sadie encouraged as she helped the woman drink some more water. “The doctor will be back in five minutes. I’m sure he can do something for you.”

  The woman reached for Sadie’s wrist and shook her head. “He can’t help me. No one can.”

  “Don’t talk like that. You’re not dead yet. There’s still hope.”

  “No. Not for me.”

  The door flung open and Sadie glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see the doctor but instead Jefferson came into the room, his face red, his hands clenched at his sides. His gray suit, which often made her think of storm clouds, matched his mood. And she knew why. Sadie inched closer to the sick woman, hoping he wouldn’t hit her while they were in the presence of a lady.

  “I had to take this lady to the doctor,” Sadie quickly said. “She’s very ill and needed help right away.”

  “She’s here with the doctor,” he growled and gestured to the door. “Madame requires your services at once.”

  “I can’t leave her. Not like this.”

  “She’s not your responsibility.”

  “But she has no family or friends. Someone needs to look after her.”

  He grabbed the back of her neck and squeezed it. Hard. “You will do as I say.”

  “St…stop,” the woman croaked.

  He immediately let go of Sadie who breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t be obstinate,” he said through gritted teeth. “You won’t like the consequences.”

  The doctor entered the room, his gaze going from Jefferson to Sadie then back to Jefferson. “Unless you’re sick, you have no business being here,” he told Jefferson.

  He motioned to Sadie. “I’m here for Madame’s property.”

  Sadie shot a pleading look to the doctor whose expression softened. “She’s helping me with a patient. She’ll go back to the brothel when she’s done.”

  “That’s not for you to decide,” Jefferson snapped.

  “It is as long as a patient’s life hangs in the balance.” The doctor set his medicine bag on his desk and gestured to the door. “The last thing my patient needs is needless bickering. Now go before I get the sheriff.”

  Straightening his shoulders, he stepped over to the doctor. “If you insist on keeping that whore here, then you’ll need to pay Madame. We got a customer waiting for her and he’s a big spender. She doesn’t take the loss of income lightly.”

  The doctor glanced at Sadie for a moment then sighed. “Very well.”

  Sadie swallowed the lump in her throat. The doctor was a good man, an honorable one. And he’d seen firsthand how things were for the prostitutes at Madame’s brothel. His kindness had been the only thing that didn’t make Sadie give up after Jefferson had beaten her until she had the miscarriages.

  As the doctor paid Jefferson, Sadie chanced a look at the woman, wondering if she’d witnessed the whole sordid conversation. To her dismay, the woman turned her tender gaze in her direction. Sadie quickly looked away and did what she could to muster what little dignity she had left, if there was any.

  To her surprise, the woman touched her hand, causing her to make eye contact with her. The woman offered her a smile but then started coughing again.

  Sadie hastened to help her sit up so she could get the blood out of her lungs. It was frightening to see how much blood could fill up a cloth in just a few coughs. Forgetting the discomfort from having Jefferson there, she gave the woman more water.

  “I paid you, now go,” the doctor told Jefferson.

  “She’s not worth the amount you paid but much obliged.” Jefferson tipped his hat and left.

  The doctor shook his head then turned to grab a bottle from a shelf. “I got something to help for that cough.”

  After he poured a spoonful of the medicine, he gave it to her and Sadie waited to see if it’d help. A few more coughs later, the woman settled down and relaxed.

  “What is your name, Miss?” the doctor asked, his tender gaze on her.

  “Hazel,” she replied as Sadie helped her back on the bed and fluffed her pillow. “Hazel McPherson.”

  “Hazel, I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your condition is very serious, and—”

  The door opened and an anxious young man came in. “There’s been an accident. Right at the factory. We need your help.”

  The doctor glanced from the man to Hazel.

  “Is he coming?” an older man asked, peering into the room.

  “I know I’m not going to make it,” Hazel softly said then swallowed. “Go on and save someone who has a chance.”

  “I’m sorry,” he replied then grabbed his medical bag and followed the other men.

  Outside, Sadie saw a flurry of activity. She was tempted to go over to the window to get a better look at the commotion but Hazel groaned and her attention went back to her. “Don’t listen to him, Hazel. You might make it.”

  “No, I won’t. I can feel my life slipping from me.” Before Sadie could argue, she clasped her hand with surprising strength. “That man who came in here for you… Has he hurt you?”

  Despite the warmth in Sadie’s cheeks, she said, “What Jefferson’s done is nothing compared to what you’re going through. You don’t need to mind any of that. The important thing is that you don’t give up.”

  “The doctor’s right. Nothing can save me. But,” her eyes met Sadie’s, “you can be saved.” With a grimace, she gestured to the glass of water.

  She hurried to give Hazel more to drink.

  Releasing a shallow breath, she focused back on Sadie. “I don’t have much time so please listen.”

  Sadie closed her mouth and leaned forward to hear her better.

  “I’m supposed to be
a mail-order bride, and I was on my way to marry Allen Grover. His letter is in my purse. He has a baby son who needs a mother. He’s in Rapid City. The ticket and money needed for the trip is in the purse. I want you to go. Get a new start. Don’t go back to the brothel. Go to Allen.”

  Sadie shook her head. “I can’t do that.”

  “Do you want to be a prostitute for the rest of your life?”

  She winced. “No. Of course not.” What woman in her right mind would want to live that kind of life?

  “Then go to Allen. He’ll be good to you.”

  Sadie opened her mouth to protest but then she saw blood on Hazel’s lips. Bolting to her feet, she grabbed a fresh cloth and dabbed it on her mouth. “Why are you so sick? Is it really pneumonia?” She wasn’t a doctor, but something didn’t seem right about any of this.

  Hazel, unfortunately, never answered. She couldn’t. Because the next breath was her last…

  Sadie took a shaky breath and looked down at the dress she was sewing. By getting lost in her memories, she had messed up the seam she’d been working on. With a sigh, she set the dress down. She was due to meet Aunt Betty. And since Aunt Betty knew how to sew better than she did, she would implore upon the woman’s kindness to teach her to do a better job.

  She went over to Gilbert, who had settled on the floor with his blanket, and noticed he was asleep. With a chuckle, she picked him up, tucking the blanket around him, and took him to his crib. With a smile, she brushed back a lock of his blond hair. He was so much at peace. Al had been good to him, giving him a home where he felt safe enough to fall asleep anywhere.

  She returned to the main living area and undid the sewing she’d done, careful to preserve the fabric. Al spent his hard-earned money on it, and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin it. After she returned the cloth and sewing supplies to the bedroom, Al came into the house with an excited expression on his face.

  “Did you get something?” she asked, going over to him.

  “I did. And it’s a beauty, too. Aunt Betty can make a coat out of its hide for you once we get it cleaned up. She made a coat for me two years ago, and it’s better than anything else I’ve owned. I usually barter for things from her.”

  “What do you barter?”

  “I give her and her husband meat, milk, and wood in exchange for clothing and blankets. Tomorrow when we go over to her, I’ll take the hide and some meat over.”

  “Alright.” Since he hadn’t brought anything in, she asked, “Where’s the animal?”

  “The elk is out on the table in the shed. You still want me to show you how I cut it up and preserve the meat?”

  She nodded. The sooner she learned how to help do the chores around here, the better. “Gilbert’s taking a nap so I have time to do it.”

  “Let me get you some things, and then we can get out there.”

  Curious, she followed him to the bedroom and watched as he retrieved one of his old shirts and gloves and handed them to her. “You’ll want to protect that pretty dress of yours. I have an extra apron you can use out in the shed. You should also wear my boots. I know they won’t fit well, but I don’t want you wearing your nice ones.” He slipped off his boots and handed them to her.

  “What are you going to wear?”

  “Another pair of socks.”

  “Won’t that be uncomfortable?”

  He shrugged and retrieved a second pair that he slipped on. “I’m used to the cold and the land. Don’t worry. Once we start working, you’ll barely notice how chilly it is out there.”

  She put on the shirt, boots and gloves then joined him as he went to the shed. The sunlight filtering through the trees gave them enough light through the window so they could see everything they needed to.

  He slipped a heavy apron around her so that the part of her dress that wasn’t covered by the shirt was protected. Then he gave her his hat. “For your hair,” he explained when she shot him a questioning look.

  “What about your hair?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll wash it up when we’re done. You have longer hair than I do.” He leaned forward and kissed her. “You’re cute in my things.”

  “Am I?” She glanced down at what she was wearing and saw how big his clothes and boots looked on her.

  “You are.” He snapped his fingers and pulled a bandana out of his back pocket. “You might need this to block some of the smell.”

  “I could have used this for Gilbert’s diaper change this morning.”

  He chuckled at her joke. “I didn’t think of it, but yes, this would help for that, too. You might want to stand a little further back.”

  With a nod, she stepped where he indicated and spent the next hour watching as he skinned the elk and then cut up the meat. Several times, she had to step out of the shed to get some fresh air so she wouldn’t vomit. She knew this was going to be disgusting, but she had underestimated just how much. But it was something she needed to know.

  This was her new life. She was up for the challenge. No matter what she had to do or what she had to overcome, she would do it. It was much more preferable than her old life. Hazel had given her a second chance, and she was going to do everything she could to hold onto it, no matter what. And if that meant cutting up some meat and fighting back bouts of wanting to throw up, then so be it.

  Chapter Eight

  Al entered the bedroom that night and saw that Hazel was staring at the ceiling, the blanket pulled halfway up to her chest. She wore his shirt, but without her chemise, it was easy to see the outline of her breasts. Forcing his gaze to her face, he smiled.

  “I promise it’ll get easier to skin an animal,” he told her. “Once you get over the blood and smell, there’s nothing to it.”

  She directed her gaze to him and smiled. “Just like changing Gilbert’s diaper?”

  “Yes, though I will admit my pa taught me how to preserve animal meat and make things from the skin, so I grew up doing that.”

  He removed his clothes, except for the underwear, and slipped on his nightshirt. This time, he didn’t ask her if she wanted the light on. He only dimmed it. He didn’t know why she wanted the light on, but it was a small thing to oblige her. Maybe she was afraid of the dark. Or maybe it hinted at something about her past that she didn’t want to talk about. Either way, he figured if keeping the light on made her feel safe, he was happy to do it.

  He settled into the bed and smiled at her. “Are you happy here?”

  “Yes.” She hesitated then asked, “Are you happy with me being here?”

  “Of course I am.” He brought her into his arms and kissed her. Having taken care of himself just before dawn that morning, he could enter the bed and not be so hard it was uncomfortable. But even so, he felt the stirring of desire center in his loins and wished he’d taken the time to take care of himself before he came to bed tonight. Ending the kiss, he cleared his throat and focused on her beautiful face. “I just hope you never regret leaving Atlanta to be with me. I know cutting up an animal is a far cry from having servants at your beck and call.”

  “I don’t regret coming here.”

  He studied her expression, trying to gauge what it was she wasn’t telling him. He knew she was happy being here, but there was something under her words that hinted at something unpleasant. He brushed her cheek. “What was your life like in Atlanta?”

  She shifted against him, probably not meaning to brush her thigh against his erection, but she did and it further aroused him. He shifted away from her, but she pulled him closer to her.

  “We’re in bed,” she whispered, her breasts pressing against his chest and her hips intimately pressed against his. “Why don’t you consummate the marriage? We can talk later.”

  Before he could respond, she kissed him. The kiss felt as wonderful as everything else about her, and he found himself giving into the urge to deepen it. She cupped the side of his face and traced his lower lip with her tongue, slipping into his mouth when he parted his lips for her. How he wa
nted to give in and fully enjoy her, to learn what it was like to make love to a woman, to experience the ecstasy of releasing his seed inside her instead of always doing it on the ground. He’d only imagined what it’d be like, but it had to be one of the most pleasurable experiences anyone could have.

  He traced the curves of her body, recalling how she’d looked when he’d explored her on their wedding night. He wanted to see her again, of course. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of feasting his eyes on her bare flesh, but at the moment he was too caught up in feeling her. With his eyes closed, he was more aware of the softness of her breasts and the curve of her hip. His hand went lower and he touched the edge of the shirt. Slipping his hand under it, he realized she wasn’t wearing anything under it and let out a groan. She parted her legs and he brought his hand to her most secret place. When he found her entrance, he slid a finger into it. Her flesh pulled him in deeper.

  Maybe he should consummate their marriage tonight. She was holding him and encouraging him to continue by interlacing her tongue with his. Everything seemed to be right. She was willing to receive him, and it would be a simple thing to pull down his underwear and enter her. Chances were, he wouldn’t last long. He already felt close to release. It would be quick and then her worries about what to expect from this would be resolved. She’d undoubtedly feel better about facing the uncertainty in the whole thing, and he didn’t want her to keep going through the question of what to expect every time they came to bed.

  But something wasn’t right. Yes, he figured she’d be a little tense since she was nervous, but there seemed to be something deeper than that. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pin it down.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he slid his finger out of her and shifted so that they weren’t so close. “I just can’t do it.”

  “Sure you can. You’re hard.” Her hand went to his erection and he groaned. That felt much better than when he touched himself. She ran her hand down his shaft. “You’re fully capable of doing it.”