Mail Order Mommy, Page 2

  “I hope you have many children with little pain,” Berniece said. “I will see you tomorrow evening.”

  “Yes, you will. Be safe, my friend.” Elizabeth walked Berniece to the door, frowning after her. As soon as she was out of sight, she turned to Bernard, whom she knew would be behind her. “Make sure Albert Chase doesn’t follow her when she comes here tomorrow night. I’m afraid this one is going to need an armed escort to the train station. That man is not worthy of her.”

  Bernard shook his head. “No, he’s not.” He wrapped his arms around his wife from behind, his hands resting on her belly. “I will mail your letters while you rest. My babe is making you tired.”

  Elizabeth leaned back against him. “I do love you, Bernard Tandy.”

  Two

  The following evening while her parents were attending a party, Berniece took the carpet bag she’d already packed and headed out the back door. She was afraid of being seen, and even though it was past dark, she had to be extremely careful. She wouldn’t be surprised if Albert Chase had men watching the house while her parents were away.

  She’d left her engagement ring on her dresser—along with a note to her parents about leaving rather than marrying Mr. Chase—but she knew it wouldn’t be found until the following morning. Her parents wouldn’t check on her when they arrived home, and her mother wouldn’t look in on her until late in the morning, because she believed she should be able to sleep as late as she wanted until she married and was forced to follow someone else’s schedule.

  She arrived at the Tandy house and knocked on the door, looking over her shoulder. She felt like someone had followed her. She knew it was probably just her nervousness, but she was genuinely afraid.

  Bernard opened the door to her. “Miss Johnson, come in. I’ve had a room readied for you on the second floor.” He led her up the stairs to a small bedroom. “Would you care to have a bath? I can have one drawn for you.”

  Berniece smiled. “No, thank you. I just want to sleep.”

  “That’s understandable. Your train leaves at eight tomorrow morning, so I will have you woken at six if that works for you.”

  She smiled. That meant she would be on the train and most likely out of Massachusetts before her parents realized she was missing. Thank God. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Mr. Tandy.”

  “Please, call me Bernard. Elizabeth will be awake to see you off, and I believe we should head to the station around half-past seven. I will be driving you, so there is less chance you will be seen. My wife has given me a hat for you to wear so that it will be hard to recognize you.”

  “Thank you. It seems you are well-versed in the subterfuge of helping young ladies escape less-than-desirable circumstances.” Once the words were spoken, she realized how he must have come by his experience, and she was saddened.

  He nodded. “Unfortunately, I’ve had to become good at sneaking around.” He looked around her room. “Is there anything else I can get for you this evening? There’s a bath with a water closet through that door.”

  “I’ll be fine. Thank you.” Berniece closed the door and sat on the edge of her bed. The uncertainty of her future was almost welcome at that moment. At least it meant she couldn’t possibly be forced to marry Albert Chase.

  As she readied herself for bed, she thought about the little girl she was traveling to. A child who needed a mommy. She could be that mommy.

  The train ride was long and tiresome, and Berniece had never felt quite as alone as she did sitting in her seat and watching the world go by out the window of the train. It was humbling to realize she’d had to flee everything she’d ever known to avoid being married to a terrible man.

  When the train was finally pulling into the station in Missoula, Montana, Berniece was exhausted. She hadn’t slept in days, thanks to the bumpy ride the train offered and the couple who argued non-stop right behind her. She was ready to get off the train, but she wasn’t ready to meet her future husband.

  Getting off the train, she stepped onto the platform, aware that everything she owned was in a bag that she could lift with one hand. She should have more, but she didn’t, and it was slightly embarrassing for her to be going to a husband that way. She thought longingly for a moment about the wedding dress and trousseau her mother had commissioned back in Beckham, but that was part of another life. A life she had no desire for and no need for.

  She looked around her for a moment, wondering where Kane was, but the only person she saw was a young woman holding an infant. Approaching her, she said, “I’m looking for Kane Burton. Do you know where I might find him?”

  The woman’s face lit up. “I’m Charlie Burton. Are you Berniece?”

  “Yes, I am. Oh, thank goodness someone was here to meet me. I was afraid I’d beaten the letters that Elizabeth and I sent here.” Berniece felt a wave of relief pass through her. “No Kane?”

  Charlie shook her head. “He’s working today. I think he’ll come by tonight and meet you, and the two of you will marry tomorrow. The pastor is aware of your arrival.”

  Berniece was relieved not to have to meet Kane immediately, and she looked at the infant in the other woman’s arms. “And this must be Kane’s baby? I’m afraid I don’t know her name.”

  “It’s Ruth. Ruth, this is your new mommy.”

  The baby looked at Berniece, but she was quiet as she stared at her with her big blue eyes.

  “It’s nice to meet you Ruth.” She held her hands out for the baby, but the little girl turned and buried her face in Charlie’s shoulder. “She’ll get used to me.” Berniece had dreamed of the instant where she would see the baby and the child would immediately know her for her mother. Of course, that was just her imaginings, but she’d hoped the child would at least want to come to her.

  “It’s time for her nap,” Charlie said by way of explanation. “It looks like you could use a nap as well. Is that all you have?” She nodded to the bag in Berniece’s hand.

  “Yes, I didn’t have the ability to bring more.”

  Charlie smiled. “I understand completely. Come with me, and I’ll show you where you can sleep.”

  “Are you sure? I can help around the house or something . . .”

  “You’re not here to be my maid.” Charlie put the baby into a buggy, and the two of them walked through the streets of Missoula. “It’s already getting cold as autumn rolls in. I hope you brought a coat.”

  “I did.” It was one of the few things Berniece had shoved into the carpet bag. She knew she could make new dresses, but a new coat would be a great deal more expensive. “Tell me about Kane.”

  Charlie sighed. “Well, you know he lost his wife in childbirth. Ruth has stayed with us ever since. We found her a wet nurse who lived with my husband and me. She actually left on a train not thirty minutes ago. She’s been the closest thing little Ruth has had to a mother.”

  “What was Kane’s wife like? I worry I won’t be able to measure up.”

  “She was very pretty,” Charlie said after what seemed like a long pause. “Ruth takes after her.”

  Berniece nodded, waiting for more, but when the other woman said nothing else, she moved on. “And Kane’s ranch?”

  “Oh, it’s a huge ranch. He raises cattle, but he has chickens and a milk cow as well. You’ll be able to get many things you need to cook right there on the ranch. And we do have a well-supplied mercantile for things like flour, sugar, and other cooking staples.” Charlie stopped at a large, pretty house. “Here we are. I hope you and I will be good friends.” She opened the door and let the other woman precede her into the house.

  “Your home is lovely,” Berniece said, feeling a little out of place. She hoped Kane didn’t have the kind of wealth his brother had.

  “Thank you. I like it a great deal. Abel and I only married about seven months ago. MaryAnn and I made up the room she’s been sleeping in, and it will be yours tonight and any other night you feel the need to stay in town. Sometimes it’s easier to stay here during a s
torm.” She picked the baby up out of the buggy and carried her upstairs, leaving Berniece to follow her. “If you’re hungry, I can make something up for lunch really quick, but you look a great deal more tired than hungry.”

  “I am. I had a sandwich on the train a few hours ago. All I want to do right now is sleep for a few hours. The train ride was awful.” Berniece didn’t want to complain, but she was so tired, she barely knew what was coming out of her mouth.

  “I’ve made a train ride that long, and I completely understand. I was with a friend and two children, which helped me not feel so lonely, but I can’t imagine doing it alone.” Charlie shook her head, opening a door to a room with a bed and a crib. “I hope you won’t mind that the baby sleeps in here. It was easier for her to be in the same room with MaryAnn.”

  “Of course not. I look forward to getting acquainted with her.” Berniece felt a pull toward the baby, which pleased her. Even if she never had feelings for the baby’s father, at least she would have the opportunity to be a mommy. “Did you say your husband’s name is Abel?”

  “Yes, I’m sure you’re thinking what I thought when I met him. The two brothers are named Kane and Abel. When I heard, I was appalled. Their father was not a believer, and he thought it would be funny to name them after the brothers from the Bible. They’re strange names for brothers, but I promise they love each other.”

  “I see. Yes, those are very strange names. What about Kane? Is he a believer?”

  “Yes, he is. You don’t have any worries there.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Berniece sat down on the bed, rubbing her eyes. “How long will the baby nap?”

  “Oh, not more than an hour or two,” Charlie told her. “I’ll keep an ear out for her, and when she wakes, I’ll hurry in and get her. We have her on an infant food mixed with cow’s milk. MaryAnn and I have spent a month teaching her to drink from a bottle, so she could get used to it.”

  “What happened to MaryAnn’s child?” Berniece asked quietly.

  Charlie shook her head sadly. “She lost her husband in an accident, and a short while later gave birth to a stillborn baby. She came to us the next day, and she has lived with us ever since. She began a correspondence with a childhood sweetheart who lives near her mother, and she’s chosen to go back east to live with family. She needs to start a new life, and being a wet nurse was doing nothing toward that.”

  “I can see that.” Berniece looked over at the baby, who was now lying in her crib sound asleep. “Sounds like that little girl has already had a lot of upheaval in her life. I plan to be a constant for her.”

  “I’m glad. She and Kane need someone strong to mend their lives. I do hope you’ll be patient with him. He’s had a very trying time.”

  “Of course, I will!” Berniece shook her head. “His letter made me feel a great deal of sadness for him.”

  Charlie smiled. “Elizabeth told me a little about what you had to run away from in Massachusetts. I think you’ll find Montana very healing. I know I have.” She got to her feet and went to the door. “I’ll see you when you wake up or when the baby wakes up. Please don’t worry about getting up to care for her, because I’ll do it. You need to rest up for being a mother.”

  Berniece nodded, curling into a ball on her side, not bothering to remove any of her clothing. What she needed the most was sleep, and it came soon after she closed her eyes.

  When Berniece woke, it was already getting dark. She sat up straight in the bed she’d been given and got to her feet. The baby was out of her crib, and she was mortified that she’d slept through her crying. She went to the pitcher and bowl and splashed water on her face, fixing her hair in the attached mirror. Then she hurried downstairs, hoping Charlie wouldn’t think poorly of her.

  She found the other woman in the kitchen with two men, one of whom was holding the baby. “I’m so sorry for sleeping that long. I meant to wake up when the baby cried, but I must have slept through it.”

  Charlie turned from the stove, where she had a huge pot of stew cooking. “Don’t worry about it. I know how exhausting that train is.” She smiled over her shoulder at Berniece. “This is my husband Abel, and his brother, Kane, is the one holding the baby.”

  Berniece nodded first at Abel and then at Kane. “It’s nice to meet you both. I’m sorry I wasn’t awake when you got here.”

  Abel laughed. “You’ve got to be exhausted after traveling so far. Charlie didn’t mind.”

  Kane merely nodded at her, seeming to study her. He held the baby against his chest, as if he wanted to protect her from the world.

  “I was tired, but now I probably won’t sleep tonight,” Berniece said with a self-deprecating laugh. “I should have asked you to wake me after an hour or two.”

  Charlie shrugged. “I wouldn’t have done it. I could see you needed your sleep.” She turned from the stove. “And supper’s ready. I hope you’re hungry.”

  Both of the men walked toward the dining room, and Kane put the baby into a high chair. When Charlie came in, she put a piece of bread crust onto the tray for the baby. Berniece carried two bowls to the table, feeling as if she should have helped with the meal. Charlie came in right after her, carrying two more bowls of stew, and then hurried out for a cutting board with a loaf of bread and a small ball of butter.

  Berniece sat with the others, feeling inept and out of place. She hated that she’d slept so long. As soon as they were all seated, Abel said a quick prayer, and then the four of them ate while the baby chomped at the heel of the bread.

  “How was your trip?” Abel asked Berniece, and she quickly swallowed her bite of stew to answer him.

  “It was long and tedious. I wish I’d had time to get a few books for the journey, but there was no way I could do that and get on a train when I did.”

  Kane looked at her, speaking for the first time. “I’m glad you came when you did. I wouldn’t have wanted Charlie to feel burdened taking care of the baby on her own.”

  Charlie sighed. “I’ve told you a hundred times that Ruth will never be a burden for me. I couldn’t love her more if she were my own.”

  Kane smiled at his sister-in-law. “Thank you for treating her as if she was your own. It’s a great deal more than I should have expected from my brother’s wife.” He looked over at Berniece as if sizing her up. “And you’ll take on the burden of caring for her now. Charlie shouldn’t feel the need to step in at all.”

  Berniece nodded. “I plan to. I feel badly that I slept so long, but I didn’t get any sleep on the train.” She hoped he wasn’t judging her for not helping with the baby and with supper, but she felt as if he was.

  “Be that as it may, whether you sleep or not, the baby is now your responsibility.”

  Berniece felt as if she’d been put in her place. She hoped he wasn’t the kind of man who would insist on punishing her as Albert Chase would have. “I won’t let sleep keep me from my duties again.”

  “See that you don’t.” Kane resumed eating, but he kept watching Berniece, as if he was expecting her to get up and dance a jig or do something else equally interesting.

  Charlie looked back and forth between the two of them, looking a little uncomfortable. “The pastor is willing to do the wedding at two tomorrow afternoon. I thought we could do a small meal here after, if you don’t mind, Kane.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  Berniece smiled. “I would love to help you prepare the meal.”

  Charlie smiled and nodded. “That sounds good. It’ll be nice to have a sister around again.”

  Abel smiled. “I’m closing my shop at one tomorrow so that I can be there for your wedding. I’m excited to see you finally married off to a good woman.”

  Berniece thought Abel had emphasized the word good for a moment, but decided she must be imagining things. There was no way Abel could be saying Kane’s first wife hadn’t been a good woman, could there? “I’ll do my best to live up to expectations.” Berniece had been cooking and helping her mother around t
he house since she was a little girl. She had no doubt that she would do just fine once she’d slept enough.

  After supper, Berniece helped clear the table, and she washed the dishes. She was surprised when Charlie didn’t join her, but Kane came in.

  “I just want you to know that you will need to pull your weight. I’m not marrying you to add another burden to my life. You’ll cook, clean, and mind the baby, no matter whether you feel like doing it or not.”

  Berniece frowned at him. “I have no problem doing those things. I just got no sleep on the train. If Charlie had woken me, I’d have helped her with no problem.” She felt like Kane was judging her as lazy without ever giving her a chance to prove she wasn’t like he thought she was.

  “Then make sure she knows to wake you when it’s time to do the chores in the morning. I don’t want to hear that you didn’t help at all.” With those words, he left the room.

  Berniece felt as if she was an inch tall. How could a man she’d never met make her feel so badly about herself? He wasn’t fifty, but she wasn’t sure he was better than Albert in any other way.

  When she joined Charlie and Abel in the parlor, it was to find that Kane had already left for the night. Berniece wasn’t sure what his problem was, but he was making it clear she wasn’t there to be his wife. She was only there to cook and clean and take care of his child. Nothing more. She’d gotten the same feeling from his letter, but somehow, she’d been sure it would all work out in the end. Now she was much more certain she would spend her life unloved.

  Three

  Berniece woke early the following day, and she hurried downstairs to help with the preparations for the wedding. The baby was still sleeping, but she promised herself she’d be the one to get her out of bed and change her.

  She found Charlie in the kitchen, humming as she mixed up the batter for a cake.