Eva's Vision (Valentine Mail Order Bride 6) Read online

  The verdant green pastures with grazing cattle and sheep rolled by as the late afternoon sun began to dip behind the highest peaks on the not-too-far horizon.

  “Not far now. You will be able to see the house over this small hill.” Jacob pointed, his hand dipping and rising as he indicated the high ground beginning to slope upwards just ahead.

  The cart crested the small hill and there was a beautiful house a short distance beyond. Wooden in construction, the shingles were painted red and the walls were white. It stood out picturesquely against the green of the grounds that surrounded it, wrapped within the warm glow of the last rays of the setting sun.

  Dogs barked excitedly, greeting them as they rolled beneath a high gate welcoming them to “Wright’s Homestead.” Eva watched as the front door to the house opened and a woman emerged, holding a baby to her hip. She smiled and grabbed the little one’s hand and waved it at the carriage.

  “That’s our sister, Melinda and her second boy, Joseph,” Jacob said, the pride in his voice unmistakable.

  “Uncle Jacob!!” the excited, high-pitched shout of another young boy came from a large tree that was situated in the front yard of the house.

  “And here’s my little monkey, John.” Jacob drove the cart under a low hanging branch where a pair of bare feet dangled. The boy jumped down just as the cart was passing under the tree, landing in the back of the cart.

  “Now boy, what have I told you about climbing trees?”

  “Not when Ma can catch me and scold me?” he said with a cheeky grin. He was missing a front tooth. Jacob reached back and ruffled the boy’s hair. He was the spitting image of his uncle but his eyes were a bit greener than Jacob’s hazel ones.

  “Remember what happened last time?” he asked.

  “What happened last time?” Eva asked, suddenly curious.

  “I fell out of the tree and lost my tooth.” John grinned and cheekily whistled through the hole where his missing tooth should have been.

  “That’s right, Monkey, just remember, you got to be careful of those trees.” Jacob advised as he drove the cart to the barn doors that lay open.

  “Weren’t the tree, uncle, it was the ground that got me.”

  Jacob reined in the horses then got down and handed the reins to his nephew. “You unhitch the girls and get them settled for the night and don’t skimp on their grooming or I’ll know.” He waggled a finger at the boy, who nodded solemnly. Jacob helped Eva down from the cart and escorted her out of the barn where his sister and her baby son were waiting.

  “Hello, I’m Melinda. You must be Eva?” The pretty woman smiled, shifting the baby on her hip. The boy saw his uncle and wriggled, reaching out to be held by him. Jacob took his nephew while Melinda took note of Eva’s sorry state. “Jacob, how could you let this poor woman come here in such a state? What happened?” she asked, her eyes going from one to the other.

  “Eva lost her luggage when the train conductor didn’t offload it at the station, she fell trying to chase the train and cut herself up a bit.” Jacob explained. Melinda looked shocked.

  “Oh, you poor dear!” she shook her head in sympathy. “Well, let’s get you something clean and fresh to wear and I’ll get a bath sorted for you and a good hot meal.”

  Melinda ushered Eva into the house. It was just as pretty on the inside as it was on the outside. “Welcome to our humble home, Eva. You will meet our father later at dinner and my husband and other brother Peyton. Ray and Peyton are bringing in the cattle from one of the outlying fields. They should be in for supper soon.”

  She took Eva into the master bedroom and rummaged around in a trunk for some clothes. “These are a little old but they might fit you.” She pulled out a few dresses that would be considered very out of style for the society roses of New York, but to Eva, they were some of the prettiest dresses she had seen in a long time.

  Melinda took her to a small room where a metal bath tub sat. “I’ve got plenty of hot water in the boiler. It will take just a few minutes for it to come down.” She opened the faucet marked ‘hot’ at the end of the bath. A small but steady stream of hot water cascaded from the faucet and she put the brass plug in the drain to stop the water from draining too quickly. She left Eva to watch the tub while she went to find her a clean towel.

  It was a marvel to see such luxury in a simple farmhouse. Eva thought everything would be very rugged and rustic. She quite expected to see an old beaten copper tub, like she and her mother had to bathe in. She certainly did not imagine there would be this pedestal wash-down water closet, the ornate scrollwork painted into the porcelain bowl and cistern, with a chain pull to flush the waste.

  Melinda bustled in with a large folded towel, flannel cloth and a fresh bar of handmade soap for her to use. She placed them on a simple shelf built into the wall close to the bath.

  “What a wonderful bathing room, Melinda! You must love using it”.

  Melinda giggled. “Yes, I do. I was amazed when Thomas and Ray announced that they were building it. I grew up with a simple chamber pot and wooden bucket to wash with. I never thought I’d bathe in a tub.”

  “I’ve never had that opportunity before, myself.” Eva admitted. At Melinda’s insistence she sat down on a wooden chair and watched as Melinda closed off the water flow from the faucet.

  She turned on the one beside it marked ‘cold’ and checked the temperature of the water before she nodded, satisfied that it would not scald Eva. “This is nice and warm, Eva. Your bath is ready.”

  “I’m so embarrassed to ask this, but would you mind helping me to undress?” Eva held up her hands to show Melinda.

  Melinda smiled. “Not at all, turn around and I’ll get those buttons for you.” Eva rose from her perch and turned, the buttons were unfastened and her soiled dress fell in a heap at her feet. She stepped out of the garment and Melinda helped her to remove the rest of her clothing.

  “I do have some undergarments that should fit as well. I’ll bring them in shortly.” She helped Eva step into the heated water of the bath. Eva felt the slight but soothing sting of the hot water as she lowered herself slowly into it and her body adjusted to its heat. “I’ll be right back,” Melinda said as she left the bathroom.

  Eva sighed as she leaned back against the smoothness of the painted metal tub and relaxed. She closed her eyes and let her aching and tired muscles enjoy the soothing heat of the water.

  Outside the dogs began to bark again. She heard a horse whinny and somewhere in the house a door closed. Eva heard the bathroom door open again.

  “I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done for me.” Eva’s voice filled with gratitude for the lovely woman who was treating her in such a warm and welcoming manner. When Melinda said nothing, Eva opened her eyes and glanced towards the door.

  Instead of Melinda, Eva saw Tom standing there, his face an open book, appreciatively drinking in the sight of her in the bath. Eva screamed and quickly covered her submerged naked body as best she could with her bandaged hands. The linen bandages became soaked all the way through and started to loosen, fluttering in the water.

  Tom blinked, recovering his wits, mumbled a horrified apology for intruding on her privacy and slammed the door quickly with a loud bang.

  Chapter 6 – Dinner Fireworks

  Eva came down to the table quietly, her face flushed with embarrassment. Melinda had helped her to dress and had brushed and dried her hair, soothing her frazzled nerves.

  The men at the table all stood up when she entered the room. There was not one ruffian amongst them. Jacob smiled while Tom refused to meet her eyes. There was an older gentleman whom all the men resembled except for Melinda’s husband. She took him to be her future father-in-law.

  He walked over, smiling warmly.

  “Welcome, Miss Lewis. I’m Bill Wright. You’ve already met my sons Thomas and Jacob and my daughter, Melinda. And this is my youngest son, Peyton, and my son-in-law, Ray Dalton.” He escorted her to her seat and held the chair out
while she sat down.

  She noticed she was sitting opposite Tom and between Peyton and Jacob. The table had a lovely spread of boiled vegetables and a roasted haunch of beef. Eva’s mouth watered and she couldn’t wait to tuck in.

  Thomas and Jacob reached out and took her hands while Bill stood at the head of the table, taking Melinda and Ray’s hands.

  “For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful,” he prayed, blessing their meal.

  “Amen.” The reply came from each watering mouth.

  Eva’s thoughts went to her mother and what meagre meal she might be taking this eve. She hoped and said a quick, silent prayer that this strange situation would work out so she could send for her quickly. She wanted her mother’s last days to be much better than the last few years and Eva’s worry for her mother temporarily overcame her hunger.

  But the food was served. Her plate taken from before her and loaded with boiled potatoes, carrots and green beans, with a few delicious looking slices of roast smothered in gravy. Jacob set the plate back down in front of her and poured a glass of water for her.

  She reached for her cutlery but her hands were now rebound in clean linen. Her cuts had been tended to by Melinda after their accidental soaking in the tub.

  “Miss Lewis, would you like me to cut that for you?” Jacob asked, nodding to her plate.

  “Thank you, Jacob that would be most kind of you.” Eva bobbed her head in thanks.

  Across from her, Tom glared at his brother but when she tried to catch his eye, he suddenly became far more interested in his food than what was happening across from him.

  Eva was able to pick up her fork, as one of the bandages had been wrapped so that she could still use her thumb to hold it. But the other thumb was wrapped together with the fingers of her second hand, so cutting her food was impossible. She was very grateful for Jacob’s help, but she drew the line at his offer of being hand fed like a child.

  The little ones had already been fed and put down for the evening, so the chatter of the adults was quiet, the mood jovial and warm. Throughout the meal, Tom’s expression remained stormy and brooding. He was only half-finished when he set aside his knife and fork and looked directly at Eva.

  “So, Miss Lewis, why did you choose to become a Mail Order Bride?” His tone was quiet and calm.

  The amicable and warm family banter stopped. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Eva watched his face, before she looked back down to her gravy-covered roast, which before had tasted quite delicious but now tasted like ash upon her tongue. She swallowed the lump of meat she was chewing quickly, praying she would not choke and cough it back up to add to her humiliation.

  “I am seeking a husband, Mister Wright and I thought you were seeking a wife when I saw your letter of request at the agency. Your letter stated quite clearly your desire for a bride who had skills that would be helpful to you in your line of work.” With that, Eva speared a slice of carrot and daintily put it in her mouth.

  “I sent no such letter, Miss Lewis. I believe that one of my dear siblings…” he glared meaningfully at Jacob. “… sent the letter on my behalf, unbeknown to me. I wanted a typist. That is true. There are no women here in Bishop’s Run who type, so I asked my dear brother to write a New York employment agency to request a typist to come and work for us. Instead, he seemed to think it quite appropriate to send for a wife who could also type.” He reached over and picked up the pitcher of lemonade, pouring himself a glass before he gulped it down.

  He stood. “I do not need, nor do I want, a wife. All I want is for my business to be a success. A typist, not a wife, will help me to achieve that.” Eva felt a shiver run down her spine as she gazed at his cold face and saw how his hands gripped the back of his dining chair.

  “Father and everyone, please excuse me.” With that, he stalked out of the dining room and the house, slamming the front door as he left.

  A child’s cry sounded from upstairs. Melinda sighed as she stood.

  “I’ll get him.” Ray said, placing a hand on his wife’s arm. “You need to rest. Overstraining yourself isn’t good for you or the baby.”

  Eva looked at Melinda who smiled lovingly at her husband. She felt a pang of jealousy in her heart, wishing that she might have a chance at such happiness and love, but knowing that with Tom’s words, it might be impossible to find it with him.

  “That boy will have no business the way he keeps going,” Bill said, shaking his head sadly as Ray hurried up the stairs to soothe the wailing toddler. Bill turned to Eva. “Thomas doesn’t realise this, but he does need a wife. He was the one to find his mother, my beloved wife, dead upon the floor in the kitchen of our house in town. He’s the eldest son and of course was his mother’s darling. Her death hit him hard.”

  “How… how did she die?” Eva asked him.

  “Her heart gave out. God took an Angel back to heaven that day. She was so kind, so beautiful.” Bill said, clearing his throat and rubbing at his eyes as they misted up. “She was very much like you in looks and from what I have seen so far, in temperament.” He sighed. “I think you might remind him a little of her,” Bill explained. Eva nodded.

  She stood up from the table, much of her meal consumed, but the rest untouched. “Well, if you will excuse me, I shall retire. I am very tired from the long trip.”

  “Of course, child, you must be. Jacob, would you escort Miss Lewis to her room please,” Bill asked his son.

  Beside her, Jacob stood as well. “I’ll show you to your room.” He courteously escorted her up the stairs and to the single room that awaited her. Jacob bid her good night and waited until she closed the door to enjoy a few private moments before retiring to sleep.

  Eva turned to the window, the kerosene lamps flickering slightly in their glass covers, casting light over the room. She looked out at the star-covered sky, then down at the lone, shadowy figure of Tom. She could just barely make him out as he sat under the tree that little John had dropped into the cart from. He affectionately rubbed the ears of a dog, unknowingly showing her that he did have some tenderness in his cold heart.

  She just wondered how she could break into that icy prison to help free his loving spirit.

  Chapter 7 – Half of the Dream

  Eva looked at her unbound hands. The cuts had healed, and only a slight pink shine was on the healing lines.

  She had spent much of the first few days helping where she could around the farm and house, keeping the children entertained and reading to them, much to Melinda’s appreciation.

  Evening meals were spent with Jacob chatting to her happily or Bill discussing parts of the business and Tom’s desire to start a newspaper. Tom merely grunted like some Neanderthal from the photographs of the British museum she had seen in an editorial from one of the New York papers.

  She was intrigued and expressed her interest in working on a newspaper one day. Her eyes flicked to Tom, whose eyes briefly met hers and just as quickly fled to his soup, which seemed to be far more engrossing than discussing her future as a typist, let alone the possibility of being his wife.

  In the evenings, she found paper-wrapped parcels in her room, containing dresses or jackets, even a pair of shoes to replace those which had been lost by the railway.

  Despite a few telegraphs of enquiry being sent to the railway company, her luggage remained irreplaceably lost. There were little notes that went with the parcels, all signed ‘T.W.’

  This was on sale at the tailor. I hope it fits.

  Thought you might like this dress. The color reminds me of sunflowers.

  I think that blue suits you. I found this. If it does not fit, return it and find something that does.

  She had smiled at his thoughtfulness, her heart a-flutter at the gifts. No man had ever been so considerate to gift her with anything, let alone a man who showed little to no interest in her, despite the fact that she was there to become his wife.

  Today was the day that she would s
ee the office that Bill had set up for her. He drove the buggy he owned into town, the smart black horse trotting along through the edges of town until they arrived at the printery.

  The sound of the printing press clunking away greeted her, as did the scent of paper and inks. She smiled, feeling like she had come home. Bill showed her around the place, introducing her to the three men who operated the press, setting the type, inking the platens and pressing the platens to the paper to form the words that their clients wanted on posters.

  They were currently doing a print run for the church fair and picnic day. Eva marvelled at the work. The etching plate showed the pretty church that they had passed in exquisite detail and she smiled.

  “I’m sure you’ll do quite well here, Eva.” Bill Wright smiled as he led her up to her office. Her office was right beside Tom’s and there was a small door that joined the two offices.

  Across the hall was Bill’s office, which of course was much nicer than hers or Tom’s. Eva was thrilled with her work space. A typewriter sat on a small desk, a comfortable chair and an empty bookshelf sat in a corner. There was a small ceramic vase with a bunch of wildflowers sitting beside the typewriter. Warm yellow sunlight shone through the window and a lace curtain cast a pretty patterned shadow over the wooden floor behind her desk.

  “Do you like it?” Bill asked her.

  Eva smiled widely. “I love it, Mr Wright! It is perfect.”

  He smiled. “Well, I have the first handwritten notes for you to type up for this afternoon. Right now I would like you to familiarise yourself with your office and the shop downstairs. We’ll discuss the possibility of you working on our newspaper project after you’ve typed the notes up.”

  “Thank you again, Mr Wright.”

  Eva settled behind the typewriter and placed a crisp sheet of paper between the rollers. She looked at the first set of notes and began to type merrily away, the noise of the keystrokes loud and joyous as she worked the machine she had been trained to use. Within her heart, a feeling of freedom and independence took over.