Chapter 10

Joshua

Joshua’s uncle pulled his two-seat surrey around to the front of the Bride House, while Joshua went to collect Hattie. He knocked on the door, which was opened by one of the remaining brides, one he’d seen, but didn’t think he’d met yet. “Oh, hello, Pastor Bryce. Can I help you?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think we’ve been introduced, Miss?” He raised his hand in a questioning manner.

“I’m Alma Lewis, Reverend. I’m here to court with Peter Hensley.”

“Ah, yes, well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lewis. I’m here to escort Miss Long to the party. Is she ready?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you come in and I’ll check?”

He smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

He walked into the entryway and, once again, saw brides sitting in the parlor, facing where he stood. It seemed his courting of Hattie had become their primary source of entertainment. He smiled at them. “Good evening, ladies.”

All together, like they’d rehearsed it, they responded, “Good evening, Reverend.”

He winced. “Please, don’t call me that. Pastor or preacher is fine. I’ve done nothing that warrants reverence. That all belongs to God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Of course, Pastor.” Lyla nodded. “That is a very wise statement.”

Joshua looked down the hall towards Hattie’s door, which brought a giggle from the gaggle of women in the parlor.

“She’ll be out soon, Pastor.”

He grinned, knowing this game. He had a female cousin who, if she wasn’t out in the surrey, would be in here, leading these women in their treatment of him. “I’m at something of a disadvantage, ladies.”

“How so, Pastor?”

“You all know my name, but I only know Miss Dunston’s and now Miss Lewis’. Perhaps we could spend the time waiting for Miss Long by letting me know your names?”

Lyla stepped forward. “Since we’ve been introduced, I guess I should make the introductions. Over in the corner there is Virginia Snow. She’s from Chicago, like Hattie.”

Joshua smiled and nodded to the girl. “Hello, Miss Snow. Did you attend church with the two Longs or were you part of Pastor Jackson’s congregation?”

The woman seemed to shrink even further into the corner and never raised her head to look at him, “I was part of Pastor Jackson’s church.”

Joshua walked over to her and held out his hand to shake hers, and was shocked when she cringed like she expected to be struck. He slowly reached forward and took her hand in his and raised it to his lips with a light kiss. “Well, it is a pleasure meeting you.”

He stepped back and watched as the woman physically relaxed. He turned to the blonde in the next chair. Lyla introduced her. “This is Caroline Danvers. She’s from Philly, like me.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Danvers.”

“Likewise, I’m sure.”

He pecked her hand as well and moved on to the next woman.

“Allow me to introduce you to Irene Carlton. She’s from Richmond, Virginia.”

After another hand peck, he turned to the last bride.

“This is Anna Driggers. She is from Richmond, as well.”

“It is nice to meet you as well, Miss Driggers.”

“You too, Pastor.”

“I need your help, ladies. It has come to my attention that Miss Long is not properly outfitted for her Sanctuary adventure. I was wondering if you all would help me out by taking her shopping at the mercantile tomorrow?”

The women smiled. “You want us to help her shop for what she needs?”

“Yes. Convince her to buy whatever she needs and wants.”

Lyla and the others nodded. “I think we can do that, as well.”

“Wonderful. However, it has made me think, while I’m courting her with a view toward marriage, she probably doesn’t have a proper trousseau.”

“I don’t believe she has any sort of trousseau.”

“I was wondering, if I pay for the materials, would all y’all help her prepare one?”

The girls all smiled and nodded. “That is a wonderful idea. Yes, Pastor.” Anna Driggers said. “We would love to do that for our Hattie.”

“Good.”

Just then, they all heard Hattie’s door open.

The women all giggled again as they watched Joshua cross back to the entryway. Their giggles turned into full laughs, as his mouth dropped open when he caught his first glimpse of her in yet another flattering gown.

This one finer than the one she had worn to the wedding. It was a light lavender, with delicate bone buttons that ran up the front. It had a high neckline that sat almost touching the bottom of her chin. The sleeves were short and buttoned just below her elbows, and she had a pair of long silk gloves on her hands that met the sleeves of the dress. The skirt barely touched the floor, giving the illusion that she floated across the surface of the earth.

How could this vision of grace and beauty be an orphan who’d spent her formative years working in a brothel? That was Joshua’s first thought, quickly followed by his second.

I’m going to have to keep her by my side tonight. Every eligible man is going to want to dance with her.

Without realizing it, he took a step toward her and grinned. “Are you ready to go, Hattie?”

“Yes, Joshua.”

“Well then, if you wouldn’t mind?”

He held out his arm, and she gently laid her gloved hand in the crook of his elbow. After opening the door, Joshua looked back into the parlor at the rest of the brides. “Ladies, I believe your rides are here, as well.”

Then, he focused all his attention back to the woman on his arm. “You look lovely tonight, Hattie.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m going to get into trouble tonight, I can already see that.”

He led her out the door and slowly over to where his uncle and cousin were waiting.

“Why is that?”

He looked her in the eyes, those lovely violet pools that drew him in deeper. “Because the pastor isn’t really supposed to fight other men, and I’m going to have to fight them all to keep you for myself.”

She giggled and turned pink in the face. He loved that she blushed every time he complimented her.

He took her arm to help her in the back seat of the surrey. Once she was seated and comfortable, he walked around to the other side and climbed in.

“You, of course, know my cousin Helen. Let me introduce you to my uncle, Jethro Caudwell. He owns the mercantile. Uncle Jethro, this is Hattie Long, the woman who came from Chicago so I could court her.”

His uncle turned and looked at Hattie. “It’s a pleasure, Miss Long.”

“It’s nice to meet you, as well. Joshua told me earlier that you had sent a telegram to Pastor Jackson for him. Has there been a reply yet?”

“No, ma’am, I reckon we should get one tomorrow.”

“I pray you are right.”

They spent the rest of the ride to the Williams’ farm chatting about whether the clouds would bring snow, who the different grooms were, and the other brides. Hattie seemed at ease with his family, and it pleased him they seemed at ease with her, as well.

Just as they were entering the Williams’ property, his uncle glanced over at Hattie. “I know my nephew will attempt to monopolize your time tonight, so I’ll just ask right now, Miss Long. Might I have the pleasure of one dance with you this evening?”

“I would be delighted, Mister Caudwell. However, I must warn you I’ve had very little practice dancing. I was taught to dance as a child, but for the last nine years have had little occasion to perfect my skills. I fear whoever dances with me may go home with sore feet and bruised shins.”

“Oh, I doubt that, Hattie,” Helen chimed in. “Like my father and cousin, most men here wear cowboy boots.”

“Well, I would love to dance with you, Mister Caudwell.”

They stopped near the barn. Joshua watched as his uncle turned to look at Hattie. “Young lady, have you accepted my nephew’s invitation to court?”

Hattie frowned. “Yes, sir.”

“Then you must stop with all this Mister Caudwell business. You are a mail-order bride, are you not?”

“Again, my answer is yes, as you full well know.”

“Then, unless you reject the proposal when he asks, you will become family. You should really start calling me Jethro, or if that is too forward for you, Uncle Jethro.”

Joshua could see the battle going on in Hattie’s face. He was about to address the situation, when Helen reached back and patted Hattie’s hand. “We don’t stand so much on proper decorum out here in the west, Hattie. It really is okay for you to call him Uncle Jethro.”

“Well, alright then, but only if you call me Hattie, instead of Miss Long.”

“Done and done. Now, let’s go have some fun.”

Jethro climbed out of the surrey, helped Helen down, and the two headed to the barn. Joshua quickly got down and raced around the other side to help Hattie down.

“Why did you lie to your uncle?”

“I didn’t lie to him.”

He took her arm and started them walking toward the open double doors.

“You did, you said that I had come from Chicago to court you. We both know that isn’t why I came.”

“I didn’t lie. You came from Chicago to court someone, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but not you. That was supposed to be Haddie’s reason for coming.”

“Yes, but she isn’t here, is she? You are, and as you told my uncle, you accepted my request to court you. So, technically, you came from Chicago to court me.”

Before she could argue further, the wagon full of brides pulled up, and she turned to wait for her friends. Joshua stood with her. Several other men helped the ladies out of the wagon. All together, with Joshua and Hattie in the lead, they headed into the barn where the musicians could be heard tuning their instruments and preparing to start the dance.

Hattie

Hattie was tired and overwhelmed. Joshua had been right. It seemed every man who hadn’t written for a mail-order bride, and most of the married deacons, had wanted to dance with her. Uncle Jethro was right, as well. Joshua had reluctantly let the others dance with her, but after every dance with someone else, he insisted the next dance be with him. Thankfully, her lessons had come back to her quickly, and she hadn’t made a complete fool of herself.