Her Irish Surrender (3 page)

He threw his hands in the air, walked to the bed, and grabbed his jacket. “He’ll be madder than a rattler with us.”

She went to him and wrapped her arms about his waist
from behind. “He’ll thank us later, you’ll see. It’s for the boy’s own good.  With a wife he’ll stop fighting, settle down, and in time, give us grandchildren …”

“Or
he’ll run away.”

She pulled him around to face her. “Nay, Mr. Brody, you’ll see.  That boy is smarter than the both of us.  Even he
can’t dispute the logic in it. Where is he, anyway?”

He picked up his hat and smashed it onto his head. “
Gone to help Finn dig a few graves I suspect. They’re short handed again.” He spun to her. “And I certainly hope you’re right, Mrs. Brody. Because if he leaves, I’ll not be speaking to you again!” He stomped out of the room and down the stairs.

“I
’m always right, Mr. Brody,” she said with a smile, and followed him.  Together, they left the house and were off to fetch their son’s mail order bride.

Two

Adaline smoothed her jacket and straightened her bonnet. She could already see a big difference in the people of Oregon City compared to the folks she left behind in New Orleans. They were rough looking, wild, free. The women looked hardy and strong, and she suddenly felt out of place with her brown and gold embroidered traveling dress and all its finery. But she shouldn’t judge, and instead squared her shoulders as the stage pulled onto the city’s main street and after a moment, came to a stop.

She glance
d out the window as people gathered on the boardwalk and waited for the passengers to disembark. She swallowed hard as one of the drivers hopped down, opened the door, and extended her a hand. She looked at the worn out man and watched in fascination as he chewed, then spit. “End of the line, ma’am,” he said.

She gave him a half smile, and took his hand.
As of this moment, her life was about to change forever.  She disembarked, and took in the many faces watching her and the other passengers.  She was one of five, and was relieved to be out of the cramped coach, but would she be as relieved when she spied her betrothed for the first time?  She didn’t even know what he looked like!

“Excuse me,” a woman said.

Adaline turned and looked into the most beautiful violet eyes she’d ever seen. She then quickly took in the rest of the woman.  She had black hair with two wide streaks of grey at each temple. It was striking with her blue hat and matching day dress. “Yes?”

“Are you Miss Dermont?”

“Yes, I am,” she answered.

The woman’s face broke into a wide smile. “I’m Mrs. Brody, and this is Mr. Brody, we’re going to be your in-laws. I can’t tell you how happy we are to finally be meeting you.”

Adaline’s eyes lit up. She’d not expected such a warm welcome, or one by her groom’s family. “Why, thank you very much.”

“Do ye hear that, Mr. Brod
y? She’s got a wee accent! Isn’t it lovely?”

“Lovely,” said a tall man next to her.  Adaline had never seen such a handsome coupl
e and smiled at the thought the pair begot her betrothed. Speaking of which, she looked around to see if she could spy a man of the same ilk as the one before her.  But there was none. “May I inquire after Lorcan Brody? Is he not here?”

“Oh, he had a
wee bit of work to finish up this morning,” Mrs. Brody explained. “So we thought we’d help him out and meet you.”

Mr. Brody groaned.

“Oh, well, isn’t that nice?” Adaline said. “I’m so looking forward to meeting him at last.”

“And he you!” Mrs. Brody exclaimed.
“My, but you’re a pretty thing.”

  Mr. Brody dropped back a few steps and choked.

  Mrs. Brody glared at him over her shoulder, and then took one of Adeline’s hands in her own. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve dreamed of this day, dearie. You’re going to make my son very happy.”

Adaline smiled as her heart warmed. “That’s so kind of you to say, I …”

She never got to finish. Before anyone could speak the sound of shattering glass rent the air, followed by a man sailing through a storefront window not feet away. He landed on the hard ground with an audible “umphf” before he rolled onto his back with a groan. 

Mrs. Brody gasped in shock as four men came
running out onto the boardwalk in front of the establishment, and slapped each other on the back. “Well, well, Lorcan!  Looks like we’ve won our bet and you won’t be fighting for McPhee next week!”

The man on the ground
sat up, shook his head, and rubbed his jaw as another man came running out of the building.  He took one look at the man on the ground, gave a squeak of alarm, and headed straight for him. “That wasn’t a fair fight, four against one!”

“Well Finn, you
didn’t say we had to be fair!” one of the men on the boardwalk chortled. The four laughed, and slapped each other a few more times.

“LORCAN BRODY!”

All eyes riveted on the dark-haired fury in a blue dress. The four men on the boardwalk gasped in fright and dove back into the building to take cover. “Just look at you!” Mrs. Brody snapped. “Get up and get home, NOW! And ye’ll be paying for Mr. Gustav’s window out o’ yer wages!”

  Adaline gasped.
Lorcan Brody? Her
BETROTHED
?
She looked at him more closely.  He was tall and powerfully built, his frame barely contained in the shirt and pants he wore.  He sported a horrible black eye and bruised jaw.  One temple was also black and blue with a tinge of green.  She then looked to Mr. Brody. The resemblance was unmistakable. “Oh, dear Lord.”

“Now
, it’s not what it looks like, dearie,” Mrs. Brody quickly explained.

“It’s not?” Adaline croaked
, her face screwed up in confusion.

“Trust me, by the time
I’m
through with him, he’ll look a lot worse!”

  Lorcan jumped to his feet. “What a
re you telling this young woman? Let her alone and leave me be. I’ll handle this my own way.” He turned and promptly punched Finn in the face. “That’s for speaking for me and telling folks I’ll fight them!”  He stomped off without another word to leave the man called Finn, holding his nose in a silent grimace.

Mrs. Brody grabbed Adaline’s hand and began to drag her along as she stormed down the street after him.
Mr. Brody remained behind and without looking at him, handed Finn a handkerchief. “There’ll be no peace in my house for a month,” he lamented.

Finn put the cloth to his nose. “Who was that beautiful creature?”

“Lorcan’s bride.”

Finn
coughed, sputtered, and did a double take. “Bride! 
What
bride?”

“The one Mrs. Brody ordered for him.”

“Does Lorcan know?”

“He will as soon as he gets home.”

Finn could only stare. “You’re joking …”

Mr. Brody looked at him. “The Reverend Franklin is waiting there now,” He gave his attention back to the street with a sigh. “No, not a moment’s peace for a month …”

* * *

Mrs. Brody continued to pull Adaline along as she grumbled to herself in what Adaline assumed was Irish Gaelic. She switched back and forth between Gaelic and English as she strode purposefully down the street after her son, a man who paid her no mind, and instead kept his pace steady.  She wondered how he got so beat up, but then remembered the words “fight” and “speaking for me.” Had the other man, the one called Finn got him into trouble?  What sort of man was this?

“Just wait until I get my hands on that boy!” Mrs. Brody grumbled.

“If you’ll pardon my saying so, but he doesn’t look like a boy to me.” Adaline said as she stumbled. “Oh!”

“Careful dearie, don’t break a leg before I get you home and married!”

“Am I to take it, that is your son?” Adaline asked and pointed to the man who walked ahead of them.

“Aye he is, a fine lad … most of the time … except when he fights.”

“Fights?” Adaline asked alarmed and pulled her hand out of Mrs. Brody’s.  “What do mean, fights?”

Mrs. Brody stopped and turned. “Now
, it’s not as bad as it appears. My Lorcan was a champion boxer in school, and he makes extra money fighting, but now that you’re here, he’ll stop.”

“Stop?”

“Aye, now come along, I want to have the chance to kill him before he marries you.” She grabbed Adaline’s hand again, turned and stopped. “I’m sorry, dearie,” she said over her shoulder. “I didn’t mean literally kill
him, but I’m definitely going to give him a piece of my mind.”

They started off again, and didn’
t go far before they came to a pretty, two-story building. A beautiful sign that read ‘Brody’s Books’ graced the front, and an awning of green and white shaded the entrance against the late winter sun. Mrs. Brody marched them through the front door, and Adaline thought she’d entered Heaven.

The store took up the entire first floor of the building, and there were shelves and shelves of books in neat rows throughout.  Near the front counter was a glass case with trays of candy and other sweets.  The sight made Adaline’s mouth water, and it
was then she realized she hadn’t eaten for hours.

“Lorcan Brody!”

Adaline glanced around for the man in question, and spied him ascending a staircase near the back of the store. She then noticed another man browsing among the stacks, and noticed he was a man of the cloth.

“Reverend
Franklin!  I’ll just be a moment!” Mrs. Brody cried as she headed for the staircase. “Just make yourself at home, have a cookie!”  She left Adaline standing open-mouthed next to the reverend and hightailed it up the stairs.

Reverend Franklin, a short wiry little man with glasses, smiled at her retreat before heading for the glass case full of sweets.  He walked behind it and helped himself to a few cookies. “You must be the bride,” he said between mouthfuls.

“Er … yes,” Adaline said.

“The Brodys
’ are fine folks, fine folks indeed. I’m sure Lorcan will make a good husband.”

Adaline swallowed. “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“His mother will be happy once he’s married I can tell you that. She’s been trying to get him to settle down for years.”

Adaline swallowed again, her mouth watering, and slowly approached the glass case. “Why hasn’t he?”

“Because the Brodys’ are picky, that’s why.  Who ever marries into the family will be running this place one day, and Lorcan’s folks want more than just a pretty face for their boy.  Of course, women are scarce around here, the marrying kind that is. Must be why you’re here.”

“The marrying kind?”

“All the decent women are already taken.”

“Oh, I see.”

Muffled voices could be heard coming from overhead, and both Adaline and Reverend Franklin glanced to the ceiling at the exchange. The Reverend looked at her and smiled. “Never a dull moment in this house, I can tell you that.”

Adaline took a cookie from the case, and bit into it. What had she gotten herself into?

Mr. Brody sauntered into the store. “Reverend,” he acknowledged as he approached the case, reached in, and took a cookie. “Fine day for a wedding.”

More muffled shouts fro
m overhead. “Nice weather today, this makes a whole week of sunshine!” The reverend commented.

“Aye,” Mr. Brody agreed
, then turned to Adaline. “Rains a lot around here, but you’ll get used to it.”

Adeline gave him a half smile.”

“Finn and some of the other boys are bringing your things,” he told her. “They’ll be along in a moment.”

She was about to comment, when what sounded like a herd of elephants descended the stairs.  How one man could make so much noise
, Adaline had no idea. But there he was, in all his bruised and battered glory. Lorcan Brody, her betrothed. Adaline nearly choked on her cookie.

He stood at the bottom of the stairs, wearing the same clothes as before, minus the dirt, with his hair combed.  Mrs. Brody was right behind him, busying herself by brushing what dust was left from his back. He took one look at Adaline, stomped his way toward her, stopped short, and stared.

Adaline straightened under his scrutiny as he looked her up and down, and as any woman, could sense his sudden attraction. Not to mention feel her own …

“Hello …” she said tentatively.

He eyed her and said nothing. Mrs. Brody came beside him and smacked his arm. He glared at her then looked at Adaline. “I’m pleased to … make your acquaintance.” Mrs. Brody smacked him again. “Miss … Dermont?”

Adaline gave him a lopsided grin. He couldn’t even remember her name?  How many bumps to the head had he incurred during these so-called fights of his?  How else could he forget the name of his future bride?

Mr. Brody looked between his son and Adaline, his brow raised in curiosity. Mrs. Brody on the other hand, stood with a triumphant smirk on her face, crossing her arms in satisfaction as Lorcan and Adaline continued to stare at each other. 

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Adaline finally said.

Lorcan took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“Shall we begin?”
Reverend Franklin asked as he wiped cookie crumbs from his lapel.

  “Reverend Franklin!” Lorcan bellowed. “What are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious, my boy?”

Lorcan turned on his mother with a look to squash the stoutest heart.  But Mrs. Brody would not be de
terred. “It is as I said. What’s done is done, and you’ll abide.”

“
Done? The only thing you told me upstairs was that changes were coming. What is she doing here any way?” he demanded and pointed to Adaline.