Santa Fe Mail Order Brides Box Set Read online

  “Everything alright?” Matt asked.

  Cece waved his question away with a flick of her delicate wrist and laughed softly.

  “I’m just gettin’ old,” she explained. “Nothing to worry about. Now, what can I do for you, Matthew Wells?” she asked jovially.

  “I, er –” Matthew paused, not exactly sure how to explain his predicament. When Cece merely raised her eyebrows in question, he decided to just blurt it out. She’d helped him write his ad after all, why wouldn’t she understand?

  “Grace is coming in on next week’s train,” he explained and blushed when Cece smiled broadly. “I just wanted to make sure you have a room available.”

  “You know I do,” the older woman confirmed.

  Matthew nodded and, not sure what else to say, tipped his hat and turned to head for the door.

  “Matthew?” Cece called and he stopped short.

  “Ma’am?”

  “How’s Elijah?” she asked, and Matthew kept his lips pressed firmly together to keep from smiling.

  “He’s doin’ fine Mrs. Cece,” he answered, and lifted an eyebrow in question when she turned fidgety and blushed. “You want me to take him a message or somethin’?”

  “No,” she replied quickly, and shook her head. “No, that’s not necessary. Goodnight Matthew, I’ll look forward to meeting your young lady,” she said and smiled.

  Tipping his hat again, Matthew murmured a ‘goodnight’ and headed out the door. He wished his pa and Cece would stop dancing around one another. They had a lot in common, and with them both being alone, they could provide so much company for each other.

  Chapter Four

  July 18, 1899

  G race stared out the window, watching in fascination as the trees flew past in a flurry of motion. They were set to arrive in Santa Fe in a little less than three hours, the attendant had announced a few minutes ago, while on his last round through their car.

  She still couldn’t get used to the culture change. So acclimated to the rock mountains, steep hills and lush trees, she found New Mexico drab, sandy, and flat in comparison.

  However, she didn’t care if she had to live in a tent. The whole concept behind adventure was to do things one wouldn’t normally do; which to her meant stepping outside her comfort zone in order to embrace new things.

  Her hands lay clasped tightly in her lap and she anxiously twisted her fingers. She hadn’t received another letter from Matthew by the time they’d departed West Virginia, and she hoped he’d gotten the news of her arrival. She also hoped he wouldn’t be angry with her for being so bold as to pack up and travel so far without first discussing it with him.

  “He’ll be beyond happy to see you,” Mary offered, and reached over to clasp Grace’s hands under her own. “I’m proud of you, for being so brave and strong. I never could have done this if I were you. I sprouted roots and waited for your father to come for me.”

  Grace smiled and leaned over to rest her forehead against her mother’s. She’d heard the romantic tale of how her parents had met, fell in love, corresponded all through the war and then once it was over, her father had traveled across the country to find and marry the love of his life.

  She’d grown up with this notion of what true love really was; she’d witnessed it on a daily basis. After her graduation, she’d met a nice young man and they’d courted for several months. She grew very fond of him and thought perhaps they would one day marry.

  But then her father had caught him in a most compromising position with one of the saloon girls one night.

  Much to her surprise, telling Oscar goodbye hadn’t broken her heart and that’s when she’d known she hadn’t truly loved him. In that moment, she made a vow never to settle for less than complete and utter love and devotion. When she’d turned twenty-two and still had no marriage proposals, all the other girls began calling her an ‘old maid.’

  Their teasing bothered her at first, but then she’d turned it all over to God and he’d held her in his loving embrace long enough to find Matthew’s ad in the paper. She never dreamed of being a mail order bride, but from the moment she read his first letter, she knew the two of them shared something special. Pulling the crumpled slip of paper from her bag, she carefully smoothed it out and reread it for the hundredth time:

  Dearest Grace,

  Hay reaping season is upon us and the days are filled with steaming hot, back breaking labor, but I don’t mind much. It seems like the more I find to do, the less I ponder on thoughts of you. I think I’ve read your last letter more than a thousand times! You have such beautiful handwriting and a way with words I’m jealous of. I do alright with correspondence, but have a hard time with being face to face with a person. I get all tongue tied, my hands get sweaty and it’s like I freeze. It’s so easy talking to you in a letter.

  On to the happenings around here, Pa and Mrs. Cecelia are still dancing around one another. I know it’s probably hard considering they’ve each lost someone, but I think they’d be good for one another, but I guess only time will tell. My brother Mark has a lot of fun teasing me about you, but I take it, because the more I protest, the worse he gets. I guess that’s about all to report for now, I look forward to your next letter.

  Thinking of you,

  Matthew

  Smiling to herself, Grace gently refolded the paper and slipped it back into her velvet bag. He hadn’t come right out and said it, but she felt that he was ready for them to meet in person. She just hoped – again, for the tenth time – that he wouldn’t be angry with her for coming without notice.

  The large, black locomotive eased to a stop and steam billowed from the engine car. The attendants hopped down from their assigned areas and began assisting the passengers as they started spilling from the numerous railcars.

  Matt nervously shifted from one foot to another and did his best to ignore the jabs and ribbing from his brothers. Ever since he’d told them about Grace coming to town, he’d not heard the end of it. Each brother seized any chance to josh him and it didn’t help none that he’d been worrying himself sick over whether she’d like him or not.

  He felt movement at his side and turned to see his pa. Eli threw an arm around Matt’s shoulder.

  “Don’t mind them,” he murmured in Matt’s ear. “I was anxious the first time I met your ma too and look how well that turned out. Being jittery just means this is a big ordeal for you and that you take it seriously. I’m proud of you, son.”

  Matt turned a smile on his pa and nodded. He inhaled deeply and thought about all he and Grace had shared with one another over the past months. He probably knew more about her than if they’d courted in person all this time. So, with a deep sigh of relief, he removed his hat and waited for her to depart the train.

  However, he wasn’t as prepared as he believed. Her tintype didn’t come close to doing her justice. The moment she stepped off the train, lifting the skirt of her wool traveling dress, he knew his heart was hers. She had her long, dark hair pinned high on her head, and a few tendrils hung loose, the wind twirling them about her beautiful round face.

  The bodice of her dress was lined with white lace and it crossed over her collarbones, leaving only her neck and a small slip of skin visible. The long sleeves ran down to form a “v” on the back of her hands and thick, black gloves covered her hands.

  He knew the weather was too warm for such thick clothing and wondered if perhaps West Virginia’s climate differed much from New Mexico’s. Her black boots were marred with numerous scuffs and he noticed the heels weren’t near as high as he’d seen some of the other women wear.

  She was tall for a woman, and lean, but in a healthy way. Her face glowed with the power of youth, but also the pleasure of a happy woman. He hoped she never stopped smiling as it was the most glorious sight he’d ever seen.

  A warmth settled over him as he studied her and it was as if God had placed His hand across Matt’s shoulders, offering him support and encouragement. In that instant, he knew
this woman was the one for him.

  When her eyes roamed over the waiting crowd and lit on his, he nodded his head and stepped forward to offer her his hand.

  “Miss Williams?” His voice came out somewhat higher than usual, and he smiled when she did.

  “Please,” she replied, “call me Grace. And you must be Matthew.”

  Matt smiled and led her down to the wooden stool placed just below the rim of the metal step. Movement behind Grace caught his attention and an older, smaller version of the brown-eyed beauty appeared.

  Grace noticed Matt’s eyes on the passenger behind her and laughed.

  “I’m sorry, Matthew,” she apologized, and turned to offer the woman her other hand. “This is my mother, Mary Williams; she took some time off to travel with me.” She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes beaming in adoration. She then turned back to offer Matt a conspiratorial wink. “Between you and me, she works entirely too hard. She needed some time to relax.”

  Matt glanced at Eli, silently willing his pa to help him out.

  Suddenly Mark broke away from the other men and rushed forward to take Mary’s arm, aiding the older woman as she too departed the train.

  “Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Mark said, and tucked Mary’s hand into the crook of his elbow. “Welcome to Santa Fe, Mrs. Williams. I hope your trip wasn’t too hard.”

  Matt mimicked Mark’s actions by offering his arm to Grace, and felt like a rooster in the hen house when she slipped her delicate gloved hand through the bend of his arm. Eli stepped forward and Matt stood silently as his pa made introductions.

  After claiming the women’s trunks and various bags, they loaded the wagon and headed to Mrs. Cece’s. Matt rode in silence, taking the time to watch Grace as she talked with each of his brothers and Pa. She had a warm, inviting spirit that made a person want to open up and tell her all his secrets.

  She made sure to make eye contact and comment accordingly so as not to make anyone feel left out. Matt’s chest swelled with pride and he thanked God for answering his prayers.

  Chapter Five

  September 7, 1899

  “S o, where are we going today?” Grace teased. Matt had borrowed a fancy two-seated buggy from Mr. Mathers and Grace couldn’t help but feel like a fancy queen being escorted about in the canopied wagon. Ever since she’d first arrived in Santa Fe, Matt had been surprising her with one outing after another.

  Her mother had gone on a few with them as chaperone and then Matt’s father, Mr. Wells, had taken a turn. Then both Mr. Wells and Mary had accompanied them one the same date. Grace smiled as she remembered that their parents had spent more time talking to one another than doing anything else. Grace secretly wondered if maybe her mother and Mr. Wells had formed a connection, but from watching the older man with Mrs. Baker, it appeared as though they were courting.

  Then after the second month, both parents decided that it was useless to accompany the kids any longer as they were both old enough to conduct themselves accordingly.

  Pride filled Grace’s heart at knowing both her mother and her new minister trusted her. Matt was a true gentleman and would never do anything to compromise her or himself.

  “Take a peek under the seat,” Matt answered with a grin. Grace couldn’t help but moon over his crystalline blue eyes and handsome face. His blond hair hung a little longer than when she’d first met him and a little crease appeared around his head when he removed his hat.

  He needed a haircut, but she found him endearing no matter what. Thick black eyelashes framed his eyes and a straight, Roman nose led down to very nice lips.

  She blushed at the thought of what kissing him would feel like. Tearing her mind away from such scandalous thoughts, she leaned forward and peered under the cushioned bench seat. Her eyes widened in excitement when she saw the picnic basket, blanket, and box of worms.

  “We’re going fishing?” she almost squealed in delight.

  “First fishing, then a picnic.” Matt corrected and clucked his tongue at the mare pulling their buggy. “You’ve been here for weeks now and all we’ve done is sit around and eat. I thought it was high time for some adventure,” he announced with a firm nod of his head.

  “You forget, we’ve also done a fair amount of reading,” Grace informed him and then laughed when he narrowed his eyes at her.

  “Reading about adventures isn’t the same as livin’ them,” Matt said, and Grace had to admit she agreed with his logic. She’d craved this type of life for years and now here she was, with a handsome man who loved the same things.

  She and Mary had settled in quite nicely at Mrs. Cece’s and things between her and Matt were going good, if a bit slow for her. But she knew that perfection took time and in no way did she want to rush him. She prayed nightly for patience and God gave her new direction every day.

  She shook herself from her thoughts when Matt pulled the horse to halt, and turned to see the most beautiful lake she’d ever seen. Matthew had parked them underneath a large oak tree and was currently unharnessing the horse so she could roam while they had their outing.

  He was thoughtful like that, Grace mused. He had the biggest, warmest heart she’d ever encountered in a man. At times she wondered if maybe she was dreaming and this whole thing was just in her head. But she’d pinch herself and smile at such foolish thoughts.

  Matt turned from hobbling the mare and smiled widely.

  “You just gonna stand there all day?” he teased. “You gonna make me catch all the fish?” He jammed his fists on his hips and smiled.

  “We don’t have any poles,” she informed him with a saucy tilt of her head.

  Matt laughed and walked over to the oak tree. He reached around behind it and brandished two cane poles, already strung and hooks baited.

  “I believe in bein’ prepared,” he quipped and handed her a pole. “Just remember, whoever catches the least fish will have to clean them all,” he warned and turned to head toward the rippling water.

  Grace inhaled deeply and steeled herself for a fishing contest. She was prepared to win no matter the cost, because there was no way she was cleaning fish.

  Matt sat on the bank and watched Grace from the corner of his eye. She’d taken her boots and stockings off, tied her skirts up around her knees and waded out into the cool, brown water.

  He found the sight rather beautiful but kept his distance just in case anyone happened upon them. He didn’t want to ruin either of their reputations even though they were both perfectly innocent.

  He remembered back to when his pa had first mentioned starting a mail order bride agency. He’d thought Eli was crazy. He’d also panicked when his pa suggested he be the first to place an ad. The mere thought of being responsible for someone other than himself or his pa and brothers was more than he could bear.

  Not to mention the fact that he knew next to nothing about womenfolk. He’d noticed the sweet smiles and whispered words between his pa and Mrs. Cece. He knew they were sweet on one another. But it was nothing compared to the way he felt when he was with Grace.

  His chest filled so tight, he thought he’d burst from pure happiness. She was smart, funny, caring, and thoughtful. He couldn’t imagine a more perfect woman for him.

  A squeal of delight roused him from his thoughts and he watched in amazement as Grace reeled in one of the biggest fish he’d ever seen. She backed toward the bank, her feet slipping and sliding in the slick mud and pond scum. The harder the fish fought, the more determined she was to drag him out.

  Finally, she managed to get the huge catfish on the bank and he laughed out loud when she screamed for him to help. Pulling his hook from the water, he rushed over to help remove the hook from the fish and place him on a string before throwing it back in the water until they were through.

  “Did you see how big it was?” Grace asked, eyes wide in wonder. Matt stared deeply into her soft brown eyes and wondered how he’d never noticed the light string of freckles that stretched across her cheeks and nose. Sh
e grew more beautiful by the day and it took every ounce of willpower he had to keep from dropping to his knees right then and there to propose.

  But every time he thought he’d found the right moment, panic would rise up to choke him. He started thinking about where they’d live, how he’d provide for them. Would he build them a small house by his pa’s homestead? Would she be alright with that? How would she like having three rowdy brothers-in-law?

  Would she want children right away?

  By the time these thoughts ran through his mind, all desire for kissing was gone. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but he had to build up the courage to ask her.

  “I saw,” Matt answered when Grace narrowed her eyes at him.

  Chapter Six

  November 30, 1899

  I n celebration of President McKinley’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, Cece and her boarders gathered in the large, spacious kitchen and prepared a feast fit for a king. When Grace had tried to offer her aid, Cece shooed her from the kitchen and ordered her to sit in the parlor and have tea with the Wells men, Walter Mathers, and his wife, Ingrid.

  Other people throughout town were also observing this celebration; some had even gathered in the town circle – which they referred to as Central Plaza – and built a bonfire in a cozy outdoor adobe fireplace.

  Over the past couple months, Cece had learned that Santa Fe was a city of many cultures. The majority was of Spanish descent but there were a few families who’d moved to the area over the past decade. The Spanish were Catholic and worshipped at their own church called Santa Fe Francis Cathedral. It was a lovely adobe building erected east of the central plaza.

  Grace admired Matthew’s father for packing up everything he owned and moving across the country to a place where his denomination wasn’t even the primary one practiced. Mr. Wells had managed to carve out a place for himself, his sons and his church, and nothing would make her happier than to be a part of that family.