Anna: Bride of Alabama (American Mail-Order Bride 22) (2 page)

Chapter Two

A gentleman approached from her left. He smiled and tipped his hat at her before straightening. “Are you Anna Davis?”

“I am.” The fear of being abandoned had entered Anna’s mind more than once as she stood on the train station platform. She’d wondered what she’d do if her groom never showed up to claim her. Thoughts of her green eyed stranger still lingered but vanished now that someone was here asking about her.

This man knew her name but surely he wasn’t her groom. His graying hair aged him considerably. With the small creases lining his face, he looked old enough to be someone's grandfather. Nothing in the letter led her to believe her groom was past his prime. “And you are?” she asked, fear he was her intended making her voice crack as she spoke.

“They call me Franklin, ma’am. I was sent to fetch ya.”

Relief washed over her in a wave. She hoped her joy at finding out this older gentleman wasn’t her groom didn’t show on her face. “Its a pleasure to meet you, Franklin.”

“The pleasure is all mine, ma’am.” He reached for her carpet bag, his gnarled fingers telling of joint pain his actions hid. “Do you have a trunk or other bags that need carrying?”

Anna shook her head. “No. That's all I have.”

He nodded and tucked the bag under one arm then held out a hand to help her off the platform. He led her to a nearby horse drawn carriage. She smiled at the sight of it. She’d seen many Surrey’s like this but never one so fancy. The canopy was black with red fringe that matched the two plush seats and the black lacquered sides were shined to a high gloss so clear she could see her reflection. This wasn’t used as an every day mode of transportation. This was saved for special occasions.

She’d never considered herself special but apparently her new groom thought to impress her. He’d succeeded with little more than a fancy carriage to take her to her new home.

Franklin stowed her bag and helped her into the back seat then climbed up front and grabbed the reins. “I hope you don’t mind getting the wind in your hair. Miss Julia insisted I be quick about bringing ya back. The girl is beside herself waiting for your arrival.”

Anna laid her reticule in her lap and leaned back in the seat. “Oh, that's fine. I’ve been stuck on that stuffy train so long the breeze will be a welcome change.”

Franklin clicked his tongue and gave the reins a slight snap to get the horse moving. Anna tried again to imagine what was waiting for her. The last two months were nothing but a series of unanswered questions. Not only did she have a husband waiting for her arrival but a daughter who was excited to have a new mother. She hoped she didn’t disappoint them. She knew nothing about being a wife and even less about being a mother.

The Alabama countryside was thick with moss draped trees. The late summer sun filtered through the branches and left the road in patches of shimmering light. Franklin didn’t speak until they turned off the main road onto a tree lined lane.

“This here is the road to the main house. You’ll be seeing it off to your right once we pass the pond. The road to the other homes on the plantation fork off this one just behind the house. ”

The main house? Anna raise a quizzical brow and sat up straighter, her gaze focused on the right side of the road. As the pond came into view, she sucked in a breath.

The same moss draped trees she’d seen on the main road were dotted around the pond. Birds on legs so long their bodies didn’t touch the water waded near the banks. Water lilies, small insects, and those same streaks of shimmering sunlight reflected off the glasslike surface. “Its beautiful.”

Franklin glanced her way. “You think so?”

She nodded. “Its the most magical thing I’ve ever seen.”

He smiled and urged the horse faster.

The house came into view a few moments later. “There she is,” Franklin said. “Laurel Haven is one of the oldest working cotton plantations in this part of the south.”

“Oh my.” The massive two story house was pale yellow in color with dark shutters. A porch spanned the entire front and both sides and repeated on the second floor. Huge columns held up the roof and protected both porches from the harsh rays of the sun. Chairs in pristine white were arranged in small groupings along the porches and she could imagine the lady of the house entertaining her friends while sipping a cool beverage.

Another structure sat off to the left of the main house, its circular shape making it nearly as interesting as the house itself. A few other buildings dotted the landscape and she wondered which of them would be her new home.

Franklin rounded a row of trees and instead of staying on the road, veered off to the right and guided the horse to the main house. The road was lined with trees on either side, their branches curving and protecting the road from the sun. Shafts of dappled sunlight shined through some of the branches and just like the pond, it seemed magical.

Franklin guided the horse around a circular drive and pulled on the reins once they reached the platform made for passengers in the carriage to get in and out. When he pressed the foot break on the Surrey, she stared at him, confused. “Am I to meet the owners of the main house first?”

For a man so old, Franklin was swift of foot. He jumped to the platform, then down to the ground, and held up a hand to help her from the Surrey, the smile on his face one of mischief.

“This way, Miss Anna. All will be clear in a few moments.”

Anna let him help her to the ground and stood staring at the massive home in front of her as Franklin grabbed her bag. Her curiosity was getting the better of her and her desire to see what lay behind those double doors led her up the steps with little complaint.

She would be the first to admit her new adventure hadn’t thrilled her to begin with. The arrangement was made out of necessity. The thought of trusting her life with a complete stranger was terrifying but she’d had little choice given the circumstances. Her initial fear had diminished somewhat. Franklin had put her at ease on the trip from town by telling her of the homes they passed and a bit of the history in this region of the country. She’d seen very little of this strange place she’d be living but so far it had been one small surprise after another.

Franklin escorted her up the steps leading to the porch. She soon realized looks were deceiving. What had appeared so pristine from the road was anything but. The yellow paint on the house was chipping. The shutters were broken in places and the white chairs were covered in dirt. Grass and leaves littered the porch and those images she’d had of a southern lady entertaining guests died in an instant.

The double doors opened with a creak and Anna stopped on the top step as a woman nearly as old as Franklin appeared, her apron covered in bits of flour and dough. “Well come on in. I ain’t got all day.”

Franklin laughed under his breath. “Don’t pay her no mind. She was born cranky and age has only exasperated her ill mood.”

“I can hear you, old man.”

“I know you can, Ruthie.” Franklin laid a hand on her elbow. “This way, Miss Anna.” He shut the door behind them. “That there is Ruth, my wife,” he said as they followed her down a long corridor deeper into the house. “You need anything she’ll be the one to get it for you.”

Ruth stopped at a door halfway down the hall and turned to look at her, arms crossed over her stomach. Her gaze ran the length of her from head to toe then back up again. She gave a series of slow nods, a look of concentration on her face before standing her full height. “I think she’ll do nicely.” She put a hand on the doorknob but paused before opening it. “Miss Julia stepped out but she’ll be along shortly. You can wait here in the parlor. I’ll brew up some tea for ya.”

Anna stepped threw the doorway and stopped once she made it to the center of the room. Like the outside of the house, the opulence she was expecting wasn’t there. It was as if the light had been dimmed in the house and the darkness that lurked in the corners spread to every surface. The rich tapestry furnishing seemed dull. There wasn’t any dust that she could see but something was off.

She turned to Ruth, the look on the woman’s face telling her she knew what she was feeling. Anna smiled to put the woman at ease. “Thank you, Ruth. Tea would be nice.” She looked around the room. “I’ll admit to being a bit weary from my trip and more than a little confused.”

“Confused? About what, dear?”

Anna turned to face her again. “Well, why I’m meeting my groom here? Does he work for the owner of the house?”

Ruth raised an eyebrow and shot a quick glance to Franklin. He stood by the door watching them both. “I’m not sure I follow,” Ruth said. “Where else would you meet Mr. Montgomery?”

“In our own home, perhaps.”

Ruth stared at her long moments before throwing another glance at Franklin. The man cleared his throat and took a step into the room. “This is to be your home, Miss Anna.”

Anna’s heart thumped inside her chest so hard she raised a hand to hold it still. “I think there’s been a mistake,” she said, her eyes widening as she took in the room again.

“How so?”

“Well, this is all wrong.” She dug into her reticule for the letter she’d received, opening those crinkled papers again and scanning the text. “It says here my groom owns a modest home and income.” She glanced around the room again. “There isn’t anything modest about this home.”

“Depends on who you ask, I suppose.” Franklin blushed then shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t fret Miss Anna. Every thing will be fine. Once Julia gets back she’ll explain everything for you.”

Anna had no choice but to accept the explanation. Franklin and Ruth left her in the parlor with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company. She didn’t move until Franklin’s words whispered through her head again and she realized her new groom wasn’t a barely-getting-by farmer like she’d expected. He was a born and bred southern gentleman with a entire cotton plantation. And he wanted to marry her.

She backed up until her legs hit a chair, then sat, the last several months running through her mind again. She hadn’t looked when Roberta laid down the Grooms’ Gazette. She’d just picked one, smiling when she saw she’d selected Alabama. She would be close to Constance, her one friend from the factory having selected Florida to find a groom. At least neither of them would have to endure bitterly cold winters anymore.

She didn’t expect much from her new groom and had hoped whoever he was, that he’d be kind. The whole ordeal seemed like a grand adventure when it was first introduced. She’d get to see a bit of the country and make a life so completely different than the one she’d been living. This was different, all right. She shook her head, her gaze drawn to the window and the trees beyond. She had no clue what sort of man Gabriel Montgomery was but if he were half as amazing as his home, he couldn’t be all that bad.

* * * *

Gabriel braced his feet, his arms crossed over his chest, and didn’t blink. He’d played this game before and he wasn’t about to loose again. Ruth didn’t tell him what the latest catastrophe was but whatever Julia had done would have to wait.

“But you have to!”

Her voice was gaining that shrill quality he hated to hear. It gave him a headache and today was no exception. “Whatever it is, Julia, it will hold until this evening.”

“No, it can’t.” She planted her hands on her hips, her chin raising a notch. “Its nearly time for lunch. Do you plan on skipping that today? Can’t you stop a bit early and come up to the house? I’ve not seen you in over a week, you know.”

He opened his mouth to answer but she lowered her head and peered up at him through her lashes, the look one he was quite familiar with. She’d been using it since she was old enough to know it would get her everything she wanted. He looked toward James, the old man laughing as he bent down to push the wheel they’d been fixing back into place.

“Please, papa. It will only take a few moments.”

She blinked, those demanding green eyes silently pleading to do her bidding just one more time. He cursed under his breath and shook his head. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, James.”

James laughed. “You’re going to have to learn how to tell that girl no, Gabe, before she tricks you into trading your house for a new pony.”

Gabriel grinned and readjusted his hat before following Julia toward the house. She was skipping across the yard, her dark curls bouncing along her back. She turned and smiled at him, the sight so foreign his wide stride faltered, his steps slowing until he nearly stopped completely. Whatever she wanted to show him pleased her. He hadn’t seen her smile with such joy in years.

She was waiting for him by the door when he reached the house. Her smile was still in place but something in her eyes told him she was worried. He chucked her under the chin with a finger and opened the door. “Go on in and show me what you’ve done this time.”

She grinned and darted into the house, hurrying down the hall past the kitchen. He paused and glanced into the room as he passed it. Ruth was busy as always, fluttering around covered in flour and dough. The scent of the sweet tarts she made for the tenants children filled the air and he hoped he could talk her out of one before he headed back to the field.