Gabrielle: Bride of Vermont (American Mail-Order Bride 14) (13 page)

She rocked back and forth in her chair, looking at the horses in the corral. “He was very friendly, and everybody seemed to like him. But then I started noticing that he was staring at me in a strange way. His eyes — roamed.” She hesitated, shaking her head as if to dismiss the thought. “He always stood a little too close, brushing up against me or hugging me for longer than I thought he should. I remember thinking that a man shouldn’t be that close to anyone but his wife.” Her voice broke, and she bit her lip.

Boone spoke quietly, “Did you talk with your mother about it?”

“Never,” she answered. “I thought it was my fault, that somehow I was doing something to attract his attention. I determined to ensure I was never alone with him, but that was nearly impossible, with my mother working most of the time and with George in and out of work as a preacher several months at a time.”

“The man was a preacher?” Boone asked, incredulously.

Gabrielle nodded numbly, and continued her story. “He’d get hired on at a little church somewhere, and often we’d move into a new apartment or a tenement, sometimes in a nearby city, sometimes locally. A few months later, the church would suddenly no longer have need of his services, and George would be looking for new employment. I suspected there may have been serious reasons that caused him to be asked to leave, but I never knew that for sure.”

“That must have been hard for you and your mother,” Boone said compassionately.

“It was awful,” she said sadly. “After a while, I was uncomfortable sitting in a pew listening to a man I couldn’t respect, so I stopped going to church altogether. If George was a ‘man of God’ like he claimed to be, I didn’t want any part of his religion. I haven’t stepped foot in a church building since then.”

“I guess I wouldn’t have either,” Boone mumbled in frustration, shaking his head.

“I stayed away from home as much as possible to avoid him, but it was never enough for me. I’d already made plans to move away and even had a place to go. There was the textile mill in Lawrence, and I knew somebody who worked there. Just another week or two and I could go. I
needed
to go. He repulsed me. I hated the questions he asked nearly every day.”

She closed her eyes as if to block out the memory.

“What questions?” he demanded, his blood beginning to boil. “What did he ask of you?”

She hesitated, but having told him this much, she pressed on to be done with it. Her tone flat, she repeated the questions that had haunted her. “How ‘bout a little hello kiss, Gabrielle?  Aren’t you gonna give me a goodbye hug, sweet thing? And then—.” She leaned forward, elbows on her knees and hands covering her eyes.

He waited, giving her the time she needed.

She sat up straight, crossing her arms as if to cover herself, determined to finish the story. “Momma was at work when I woke up on my eighteenth birthday. I hurried to get dressed, trying to leave the apartment before George woke up, but he called to me from their bedroom and asked me to help him move a trunk. I went in to help, thinking it would just take a moment. As soon as I stepped in, he took my hand and pulled me to him. I tried to twist out of his grasp, but he was so much bigger than I,” she said hopelessly.

Boone watched a tear travel down her cheek before she brushed it away.

“He held me in his arms and forced his mouth on mine. I fell back against a chest of drawers and took hold of a lamp and smashed it into the side of his head. He let me go, cursing at me. I ran from the apartment.” She paused, breathing heavily, and sat shaking her head. “If only I’d left before then. I should have made sure to never be alone with him. I shouldn’t have let him touch me!”

Boone reached over and laid his hand on top of her clenched fists.

She looked out toward the distant horizon. “Hidden from view, I watched from the street that day, and when I saw him leave, I ran inside and packed my bags. I had some money saved up from my sewing, so I didn’t hesitate. The hardest part was not being able to explain it to my mother, or even hug her goodbye.”

Again, Gabrielle took in a breath to calm herself. “I wrote her a letter and mailed it, but I never told her the truth. I’m pretty sure she knew it was something like that, because she never encouraged me to come back home. Not until after the fire, that is. And when I got there, I found that George had left her months before, having taken anything of value that they owned. He was the vilest of men.”

Boone agreed. “I had no idea, of course. I can’t begin to express how angry this makes me.”

His heart went out to her, longing to protect her from any harm. “I’m so sorry you suffered at the hands of that man.”

“Boone,” she said hesitantly. “There’s something else. The other night, when you held me in your arms, I wanted your kiss. I was sad and lonesome; you were right about that. But when I closed my eyes, there was something between us,” she shuddered. “I saw George’s face and I couldn’t let you kiss me. I’m sorry,” she said, ashamed of what had gone through her mind.

“You’re
sorry
? You have nothing to be sorry about! You were mistreated by your mother’s husband. And I hear in your words that you tried to stay away, but do you realize that you did nothing wrong? You were a child! You had no control over that snake. You are completely innocent of any wrongdoing!”

She interrupted him, “But I should have—.”

Boone looked at the confusion and disbelief in her eyes. “You shouldn’t have been subjected to such a devil. That is the only ‘should’ that there is to consider. There should be no ‘if onlys’ from you either. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

Gabrielle turned her face toward him, studying his eyes. “You’re not upset with me?”

Boone stared at her with disbelief. “With you? How could I be upset with you? I’m angry, all right, but only because you were mistreated and had no one to help you. I’m sorry you had to endure that. I promise to never force my affection on you. I’ll honor our marriage agreement. It’ll be easier for me to do so now that I know what’s behind your reason for marrying me. It’s what I wanted, too, but I somehow forgot about that as I’ve come to know you. You needn’t worry about my actions toward you. You will always be safe here.”

Relieved that he now knew her story, she exhaled slowly. “Thank you.”

They sat silently, and then he deliberately removed his hand from on top of hers.

Gabrielle felt closer to him now that he knew the truth. All of her truth. And now it was time for her to know his.

“Why did you ask for a wife without wanting romance? You said you didn’t want to be alone, but is there some other reason?”

Silent at first, he cleared his throat and avoided her gaze. “I really just grew tired of the quiet, that’s all.” He stood abruptly and gathered their empty cups. “Let me take care of these and then I’ll be getting some work done in the barn. I’ve got a saddle to deliver, too. It’s a gift for a boy in town.”

Gabrielle watched as he walked into the house, despair filling her heart.

He can’t bear the sight of me. He’s trying to be nice, but he’s hurrying away. I was wrong to come here thinking he could accept my terms. He’s clearly changed his mind about the kind of marriage he wants, or he wouldn’t have tried to kiss me.

The longer she thought about how quickly he’d walked away, the more distraught she became.

It’s not fair to him that I stay. I can get the marriage annulled, and then he’ll be free to find another.

She hurried inside to her bedroom, not wanting to see Boone again before she set her plan in motion.

*******

          Boone left her on the porch and walked purposefully into the kitchen, setting down their cups before heading out to the barn. Distracted, he quickly saddled his horse. He took along the new saddle he’d finished so he could deliver it to a family in Coltonville.

He thought about Gabrielle. She’d been through quite a bit, especially recently. Boone wondered if he’d made it worse for her by trying to kiss her. He chided himself for having let down his guard and given in to a moment of compassion.

As he rode along, he kept imagining her face close to his and how her body had felt in his arms. He was in trouble and he knew it.

I told her she could trust me and I’ll just have to make sure that she can.

*******

As soon as Gabrielle saw him leave, she sprang into action. She flitted through the house, cleaning and putting things in order. Next she hurried to her bedroom and recovered her carpet bag. Every time she set something inside the bag, her heart sank a little more.

Sneaking away wasn’t right. She sat down on her bed, next to her open carpetbags. Remembering each kind word and every gentle touch from Boone, Gabrielle decided that she would tell him, face-to-face, that she was leaving. But not tonight. Tonight was Christmas Eve, and it was a special time for him. She wouldn’t ruin this night for him.

She wondered what she could do that would show him her gratitude. How could she repay the many kindnesses he’d shown? The gifts she’d bought and made wouldn’t be enough.

When the answer came to her, she wanted to push it out of her thoughts, but she knew it was perfect. She’d prove how much he meant to her with one act. It was all she had to offer. She’d go to church with him. Just this one and only time before she left.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

When Boone arrived home, he hurried into the kitchen to wash up for dinner. Delicious aromas filled the air. The source was on the stove. Sneaking a peek, he raised the lid on the cast iron pot and found the most tempting-looking stew he’d seen since as far back as he could remember.

He went into the bathroom to clean up and dress for the evening, noting that she’d been in there not long before him. The smell of flowers and soap teased his senses.

Once he’d bathed and dressed, he found her in the parlor. She stood in front of the large picture window, her silhouette highlighted by the late afternoon sun. Half of her dark hair was pinned into loose and gentle waves in a bun atop her head. The rest was in long curls that covered her neck and cascaded between her shoulders. He’d never seen her hair this way.

Her green satin dress was trimmed with dark lace and fit her perfectly. He admired her tiny waist and gentle curves.

“That’s a beautiful dress you’re wearing. You’re— you, you look lovely,” he said as he walked into the room.

She smiled and continued to look outside, hoping he wouldn’t see her blushing. “Thank you. I made it before the fire and was saving it for a special occasion. It seems appropriate for Christmas Eve.”

Gabrielle glanced toward him and noticed that he, too, had dressed in his best. Her heartbeat quickened when she took him in.

“Well, I’m honored that you’d wear something so beautiful for our first Christmas Eve dinner together. I guess we both had the same idea of looking our best. It’s sure been nice looking across the dinner table at someone beautiful, rather than a teenaged young man.”

Her cheeks remained pink with his compliments. “Well, dinner is ready. Are you hungry?”

“Absolutely. I swear I could smell that stew from outside. It called to me. It’s delicious!” He grinned at her.

“Why, Boone Dillingham! Did you sneak into my kitchen and have some?” She turned to face him fully, the skirt of her dress swaying with her movement.

Boone laughed out loud. With a twinkle in his eye, he offered her his arm and said, “Not exactly. But I sure was tempted. I can tell just by the amazing aroma that it’s delicious and flavorful. Now, may I escort you into the next room?”

Slipping her hand into the crook of his arm, she walked with him into the kitchen. She watched his face when he saw that she’d set a beautiful table and made the room look festive in the short time it had taken him to bathe and dress.

“Where did you get the garland?” he asked, obviously surprised that she’d changed the atmosphere of the room with a few festive touches.

“Mattie brought some things with her when she visited while you men were hunting. She said she’d thought I’d enjoy having them.” A wave of sadness struck her at the kindness shown to her by her new friend. Kindness that she wouldn’t be able to return once she left Boone.

Gabrielle put her energy into getting the hot food to the table so that she’d not have to think about leaving.

Boone sat down and watched her. “You look like a butterfly, flitting around here.” He sighed quietly. “A beautiful butterfly.”

“Oh hush, now. I’m just getting supper on the table. Tell me what you and Buck usually do on Christmas Eve.”

“Well, we usually just have a simple supper here and then go on over to the church house. After the service, we stay and visit as long as we can. We both enjoy being with others. After that, we come home and exchange a gift, or sometimes we wait until Christmas morning for that part. Clyde and Mattie often invite us to have a meal with them on Christmas Day. Occasionally, we go to town and spend some time with Owen and Virginia Clark. They’re the only relatives we have out here in Texas.

“As you can tell, I’m not much into decorating, but what you’ve done here sure is pleasing to see.” He smiled at her appreciatively as she sat down next to him.

Knowing he would pray over their meal, Gabrielle bowed her head.

When he’d finished, she removed the cover from a porcelain serving dish and carefully ladled steaming stew into bowls for both of them. She’d made fresh bread and passed him the platter.

“How do you like the china?” he asked playfully.

“Oh! I meant to say something about that! I’ve never seen anything like it,” she gushed.

He laughed. “It was my grandmother’s
collection
,” he said proudly. “Now then, you see, not all my collections are masculine!”

“Well, I’m really glad I uncovered the crate they were in from under the box of old boots in the corner of the parlor,” she teased. “Which reminds me that I planned to ask you why you’d keep old leather boots?”

“They’re a reminder, that’s why. The make me remember to think of where I’m headed rather than where I’ve been. Probably doesn’t make sense to anyone but me, but I don’t let that stop me. Collecting things is a tradition now. And, I might have gained a reputation for it, too.”

“Oh, you think so?” She couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“Your tradition of going to church on Christmas Eve sounds very nice,” she said, bringing up the topic she wished to discuss.

Boone looked at her. His smile faded and sadness filled his eyes. “It’s very special. I understand your reasons for not going into a church, but I hope someday you’ll be able to do so again. I’ll just stay home with you tonight, and we’ll have our own reading, if you’d like.”

Gabrielle’s eyes grew wide in amazement. Once again, he was showing her a kindness she didn’t think she deserved. “No, Boone. I won’t ask you to do that. It’s an event that you love and it’s important to you. I’ve been thinking about it and I want to come with you.”

Boone’s mouth dropped open. The look of joy that started in his eyes soon covered his entire face.

“Just for tonight, that is,” she stated quickly.

He cleared his throat and nodded. “Why that’d be just fine,” he said calmly, masking his excitement.

They finished their meal, and she set the kitchen to rights while he bundled up to go hitch the buggy.

When he returned she was waiting for him in the parlor. “Are you ready to leave?” he asked.

“Almost.” She had a small, cloth-wrapped bundle in her hands. “I wanted to give you this first.”

“A gift for me? Really?” he said, surprised.

She watched as he pulled the tied ribbons open and unwrapped the shirt she’d sewn for him.

He held it up against his chest. “You made this? Why, it’s so fancy!”

“Is that good or bad?” she asked, enjoying his reaction.

“It’s great, but there’s a chance no one will recognize me at the service tonight!” He hurried toward his bedroom. “I’ll be right back.”

When he returned to the room wearing it, Gabrielle was speechless at first. The rich red color was as perfect as she’d imagined it against his complexion. The fit couldn’t have been any better.

“How do I look?” he asked, striking a pose.

“Gallant.”

“Then I shall act gallantly.”

As he reached for her hand, her mind flashed back to the dream she had, and she wondered if was about to scoop her into his arms and dance across the room.

She extended her hand toward him and was relieved when he bowed, bringing it to his lips and quickly planting a noisy, dramatic kiss on the back of it.

“Thank you kindly, Miss Breezy. I shall wear it with great pleasure. Shall we go?”

“Absolutely. I’ll get my coat and hat,” she said.

“You’d better bundle up good. It’s pretty windy out there, and the snow is really falling. It’s pretty, though.”

As Boone picked up his coat, Gabrielle watched carefully, committing the picture to memory.

At least I’ll get to see him wearing it this one time before I go.

They rode in silence to the little white church that Boone loved so much. The cold wind chilled them both and Boone wished he’d brought more blankets for their laps and feet. It had been snowing off and on all day, and the ground was growing frosty white.

He stopped the buggy as near to the doors of the building as he could and hurried around to help her step down.

“Cold as it is, I don’t want you to have to walk across the field. You go on up the steps. I’ll just be a minute.”

It was snowing, and the wind was indeed cold. Gabrielle didn’t want to go in alone, so she stood waiting outside.

“Let me get that door for you, ma’am,” said a large man with a booming voice, startling her.

She turned to see who’d spoken just in time to see another man take the three steps up to the porch in a single bound to reach her ahead of the other man.

“No hurry, Charlie. I got it covered,” he said, reaching the door just a second before the bigger man.

He opened the door and removed his hat simultaneously. “I’m Zeke Taylor. Nice to have you here tonight.”

“Yes, ma’am, it sure is,” offered Charlie as he followed them in. “Don’t believe I’ve seen you ‘round here before, have I?” He stepped slightly in front of Zeke and extended his hand in greeting.

Gabrielle glanced around the room as she presented a tight smile and shook her head. “No, it’s my first time here.”

Her eyes scanned the large group of people. Some stood in small clusters, chatting and laughing. Others sat on the pews. She was struck by the number of men who openly stared at her. Her heart beat rapidly as discomfort began to rise within.

What am I doing here?

Just then she saw a movement from the corner of her eye. Relief swept over her as Mattie Williamson walked quickly toward her.

“Gabrielle, dear!” She came alongside her and gave her a warm, welcoming hug. Whispering, she said, “These boys haven’t seen a beautiful face in some time. Don’t let it make you uncomfortable.”

“Well, here’s our newest member of the community!” Clyde approached and smiled kindly, reaching to shake her hand. “Welcome to our little church. Where’s that husband of yours?” he said, glancing about.

“Thank you, Preacher Clyde. He left me at the door. He said he’d be right— oh, there he is now,” she said, spotting Boone stepping into the doorway.

Her uneasiness disappeared, and she smiled brightly as Boone walked toward her.

Boone greeted his old friends happily and beamed as he led Gabrielle to a seat. He glanced around and then said, “I don’t see Buck. He’s usually here early, since he accompanies Abby.” He pointed toward the front of the rom. “She’s the lady up there near the piano. That’s Clyde and Mattie’s oldest daughter. She and Buck have been playing together since he was eight years old. They’re good friends.”

The dark-haired woman near the piano noticed Boone gesturing toward her and walked to where he and Gabrielle were standing.

“Hi, Boone,” she said casually as she turned to Gabrielle, smiling and extending her hand. “I’m Abby Wells. I’ve heard good things about you. I’m sure glad you married this guy. We’ve been wondering for a while now if he’d ever make room for a wife amongst his many collections.”

Gabrielle accepted her hand and laughed. “I guess everyone knows Boone pretty well. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your mother has made me feel very welcomed.”

Abby smiled, glancing toward her parents. “Yes, that’s Mama. She’s a saint.” She saw her father look at her from across the room and shrugged at him.

“Where’s Buck?” she turned and asked Boone. “He was supposed to be here early tonight so we could go over a few songs."

“No idea,” answered Boone, looking around the room. “It’s not like him to be late or miss an opportunity to play for Christmas Eve. He said he’d be here, though, so I’m sure he will.”

They chatted for a few moments until Clyde walked over to them. “Buck?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” said Boone. “I guess you’ll have to start without him. It’s getting a little late.”

“I’ll give him another five minutes or so,” Clyde told them.

Ten minutes later Buck still hadn’t appeared. Clyde nodded to Abby who settled herself at the piano and began playing. The group of fifty or sixty people quickly hushed as a man stood up and welcomed them, opening the meeting with a prayer.

Gabrielle listened intently to every word, amazed at the personal way in which the man prayed. It was as if he and God were friends and he was inviting Him to be part of their gathering.

Next, he led the congregation in several songs. Gabrielle listened to Boone sing, admiring his deep bass voice. Her soprano blended nicely with his, and she could tell he enjoyed having her singing there next to him.

I had no idea he could sing. There’s so much I don’t know about him. He needs a wife who’ll sit by his side in church, and to be one with him in his home. 

Waves of sadness interrupted her enjoyment of the carols each time she thought about leaving Boone. Her heart sank each time and she repeatedly had to force herself to think about the momentary joy she was feeling. She committed it to memory then and there. Tomorrow would bring enough sadness as it was. She didn’t need to focus on that right now.