The Farmer's Reluctant Bride (6 page)

Hank reached down and, pulling her
nightdress up to her waist, lightly caressed her bare behind. The welts from
the belt were raised and Hank brushed across them gently as Mandy’s breath hissed
inward from the contact.

“It’s all right, sweetheart,” Hank
spoke softly to her as he stroked her hair and back. “It’s all right. Sshh.”
Mandy snuggled in close to Hank, enjoying the heat that seemed to always
radiate off his body and also enjoying the fact that he didn’t seem angry
anymore. She had been so worried that he was angry with her. He
had
been
very angry when he had punished her.

Mandy slowly stopped shivering in
the warmth of Hank’s arms and wriggled against his chest as his hands began to
roam across her body. Mandy recognized this action as one that preceded Hank
wanting to be a husband to her. As she snuggled closer, she felt his stiff
manhood jutting out into her lower belly. It was pressing into her
uncomfortably, and Mandy usually readjusted herself whenever that happened.

This time she reached down to try
and adjust Hank instead, but when she touched him, he let out a groan she had
never quite heard from him before.

Mandy instinctively wrapped her
hand around his large hardness and just held it for a moment.

“Good Lord,” Hank choked out
through clenched teeth.

Mandy thought he sounded pained and
immediately released him. “Was I hurting you?”

“No, no, sweetheart. Please put
that hand back where it was.” Hank fumbled under the covers searching for
Mandy’s hand. “Please, Mandy.”

She quickly grabbed him again and
he groaned again. She squeezed lightly, feeling her way through this new
experience, gauging what she was doing by Hank’s reactions. He seemed to be
enjoying it.

She felt Hank’s hand cover hers and
start to guide her, having her pump her hand up and down his hard length. He
was so big, Mandy was still amazed that it fit inside her all the way. Her
fingers just barely touched wrapped around his manhood right now when it was
all large and hard.

Hank didn’t seem to mind. He just
kept moving her hand up and down, picking up speed and moaning and groaning in
a way that let Mandy know this was a good thing.

Hank reached down with his free
hand and fondled Mandy’s breast, pulling and tweaking the nipple until it
peaked and then pinching and rolling the peaked dark pink nipple between his
thumb and forefinger. Mandy squirmed in pleasure from what Hank’s hand was
doing to her breast as her hand pleasured him.

Hank was breathing heavily. “I need
to be in you.” His voice was husky and deep.

Mandy’s breath caught in her throat
as Hank’s hand suddenly left hers where she was holding him and he grabbed her
under her arms, lifting her up and quickly thrusting her down on his hardness.
It was swift and unexpected and Mandy cried out in surprise and a mixture of pleasure
and pain as she was impaled on him. A need she didn’t even realize had built
within her was filled and Hank immediately began pumping her up and down on
him.

The pleasure Mandy felt at having
Hank stroke in and out of her overrode the pain of having her welted backside
slap against Hank’s thighs each time he brought her down hard onto him. If
anything the pain intensified the pleasure. It was too confusing for Mandy to
make any sense of at that moment. All she could manage to do then was feel the
pleasure Hank was giving her.

She felt the intensity of it
building as Hank increased the speed with which he pumped her up and down on
him. With one final push down, Hank shouted and Mandy felt something break
within her at the same time. Hank held her pressed down on him, and Mandy
bucked on top of him, unable to control the feelings that caused her body to
react to him this way.

Her pleasure seemed to go on long
past Hank’s because when she finally recovered from it, she looked down at Hank
to find him watching her with a satisfied smile on his face. He seemed to be
taking pleasure in her pleasure.

Mandy tried to pull off him then,
but Hank’s hands still held her hips and kept her on him. Too tired and worn
out to even question him, Mandy simply lay down on top of him; it felt better
to not have her sore behind pressed against anything.

She nuzzled her face into the crook
of his neck and shoulder and sighed with exhaustion and pleasure as Hank pulled
the quilt up and over her back to cover the both of them.

They fell asleep still joined
together as husband and wife.

*  
*   *

When Mandy woke the following
morning, Hank was already up and out, most likely to the barn to tend to early
morning chores, as usual. Mandy sat up and winced. Her backside was so sore.
She didn’t think she’d be able to do any sitting today, maybe not for a few
days. She wondered if Hank would make her sit for meals. He usually did that to
drive home the lesson that he was trying to teach with the spanking. But this
had been no ordinary spanking.

It had been the worst punishment he
had ever given her, and she knew he had been very angry when he did it. That
was different too. All the other times, Hank had seemed so much in control and
had lectured her while he spanked. This time he had just bent her over and laid
that belt across her behind over and over. And he hadn’t said a word the entire
time.

It had hurt so much, and he didn’t
hold her afterward like he usually did. He had just ordered her to bed. Mandy
knew it was probably silly, but that seemed to hurt as much as the strapping
did. He had still been mad. She wondered if she would be given a chance to
explain today.

Mandy knew it was wrong to leave
without telling Hank, but Silas was adamant that they didn’t have even a moment
to spare. And he had been right. A few minutes later and both mother and baby
would have been lost. If she had to take a punishment for that, Mandy thought
it was worth it. She just didn’t like for Hank to be angry with her. She
surprised even herself with the realization that what he thought of her
mattered to her, more than she really knew before.

Hoping that she’d be able to talk
with him over breakfast when he came back in after chores, Mandy rose and
dressed quickly. She made the bed and got started on the morning meal.

*  
*   *

Hank heard the sound of the
approaching wagon and team before he actually saw them. Then they emerged over
the crest in the dirt road leading to his barn and he saw them. It was Hermann’s
oldest boy, Silas, along with one of his younger brothers. Hank waved to them
from where he stood by the barn door. He had been about to head inside for his
morning meal, and a long talk with Mandy.

“Mornin’,” Hank called out as Silas
stopped the horses just shy of where Hank stood.

“Mornin’, Mr. Meyers,” Silas
greeted him and Hank saw him nudge his little brother with his elbow.

“Mornin’, Mr. Meyers,” the younger
one echoed his brother.

“What can I do for you two young
gentleman today?” Hank was smiling at them and saw confusion pass over Silas’
face at his question.

“Well, sir, Pa said we was to stop
here on the way back from fetching Doc Green to inquire after Mrs. Meyers and
bring you folks this here ham and some preserves that Ma put up last fall.”
Silas was seeming to get more confused as he spoke, and Hank really had no idea
why the boys were here—and giving them food to boot.

Just then, Mandy emerged from the
cabin, wiping her hands on her apron.

All three, Hank and the two boys,
turned to her.

“Mornin’, Mrs. Meyers.” The younger
Johansson was the only one who found his voice.

“Morning to you too, Kurt.” Mandy
smiled at him, glancing quickly at Hank; he stared at her. “How is your mama
this morning?”

“She’s fine and so’s the new baby.”
He continued, filling the silence with his excited chatter. “Mama says he’s the
best baby, so quiet and content. He just sleeps and eats, eats and sleeps.”

“Sara had the baby.” Hank stated
this fact while looking directly at Mandy. It wasn’t a question; she didn’t
answer. “You helped?”

Silas was looking from Mandy to
Hank and back again. Kurt had stopped talking when Hank spoke.

“Yes, sir,” Mandy stated quietly,
looking directly at Hank. He nodded in response.

“Pa and Ma wanted to gift you with
this here ham and these preserves for all your help, Mrs. Meyers.” Silas
quickly removed them from the wagon, passing them off to Mandy. “Kurt and I had
best be on our way now, seein’ as how Pa needs us to stay on top of the chores
at home.”

“He’s stayin’ by Ma’s side to help,
just like you said he should, ma’am.”

Mandy smiled at the two boys as
Hank found he couldn’t take his gaze from her. She was focusing on the boys, and
seemed to be avoiding looking at him altogether.

Silas climbed back up on the
buckboard beside his brother. Hank had been holding the horses, and once Silas
had the reins in his hands, Hank slapped the horse’s flank and off they went,
the two boys waving goodbye.

As Mandy watched the wagon jostle
away on the bumpy dirt road, Hank turned and marched straight into the barn
without a word to her.

*  
*   *

Mandy turned and walked back to the
cabin. She didn’t quite know what to make of Hank’s behavior. Figuring she
should just finish up with the morning meal, Mandy readied the biscuits and set
them to baking, assuming Hank had to eat. He’d come in eventually.

With that thought, the door opened
and Hank entered. He had such a grim look on his face that Mandy couldn’t focus
on anything else. She didn’t notice that he held a jar in his left hand. And
the words that came from his mouth next took precedence over everything else in
Mandy’s mind.

“Get on the bed, face down.”

Mandy whimpered out loud without
even realizing it. She searched Hank’s eyes for some answer, some recognition
of the situation as she saw it. There was none. Mandy couldn’t figure what the
look on Hank’s face meant and she hadn’t ever seen him look that way before.

And he meant to punish her further?
Mandy didn’t think she could bear it. She knew she wasn’t allowed to argue, but
something about this was very wrong.

“Hank.” Mandy couldn’t help herself.
She began to plead. “Please. I’m so sore.”

“On the bed, Mandy.”

“I’ve learned my lesson, I
promise.”

“Now, Amanda.” He seemed sad, not
angry. Was he so terribly disappointed in her to warrant further punishment?

Mandy’s feet felt as if they were
made of stone as she dragged herself over to the bed and lay down on it, face
down as she had been told. Then she heard Hank pull a chair over to the side of
the bed. He pulled her dress and petticoats up to her waist and then pulled her
drawers down to her knees.

Her entire exposed backside still
burned and stung from the strapping with Hank’s belt. Mandy tensed in
anticipation of more pain on her already painful hind end. She was afraid to
peek and see what Hank was planning to use to spank her with—she hadn’t heard
him remove his belt, yet.

Then she thought she heard a lid
being removed from a jar and, as she turned to see what was happening, Hank
began to speak.

“Mandy.” Hank’s voice was soft and
tender, not the way he usually spoke before or during  punishment. He was
usually stern then. He was speaking to her as he did after a spanking, when he
comforted her.

“I’m sorry.”

Then Mandy felt a cooling sensation
on her burning skin. Hank was applying some kind of salve to her behind.

“I should never have punished you
without talking to you first. I promise you that I will never do that again.”

Mandy started crying silently as
Hank tenderly treated her striped backside with the ointment.

“I was just so scared that I might
have lost you. But that doesn’t excuse me.” When Hank had treated every inch of
her burning skin, he replaced the lid on the jar and set the jar on the bedside
table. “I just hope you can forgive me, sweetheart.”

Mandy turned her head to see Hank’s
eyes glistening with unshed tears. Mandy took a deep breath as she laid her
head on the pillow and relished the cooling sensation of the salve. She looked
straight at Hank.

“I don’t need to. You didn’t do
anything wrong.”

“Mandy...”

“No, Hank, please. Let me explain.”
Mandy paused to gather her thoughts. “I broke your rule and you punished me for
it. It’s no different than any other time.”

Mandy had learned the lesson that Hank
intended, which was that he would always follow through on his promises. He
would always do exactly what he said he would. It was something that Mandy had
come to rely on, just as Hank had wanted her to.

He pulled her drawers back up over
her backside, fastening them carefully, and then pulled her petticoats and
skirt back down over them.

“We’ll apply some more before bed
and you should start to feel better by tomorrow.” Hank helped Mandy up from the
bed, an awkward endeavor as she strove not to rest any weight on her backside.
Hank reached down behind Mandy to right the coverlet and, when he stood back
up, Mandy threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his middle and
squeezing him with all her might.

Hank kissed the top of her head and
held her tight.

“Why don’t you tell me all about
that new baby while we have our morning meal?”

“His name’s Ben, and he’s awful
cute...” Mandy started as they made their way to the table to eat.

Mandy pressed herself tightly
against the cabin wall and stayed silent as a mouse. She had her ear pressed
against the crack between two pieces of lumber and could make out snippets of the
conversation.

“You’ll be doing me the favor...she’s
can’t have any kids...I really don’t have a use for her anymore...” That was Hank’s
voice.

“I can pay you. I can’t just take
her...don’t seem right.” Mr. Henderson from the next farm over sounded a bit
hesitant. “How much you want for her?”

“Don’t know...hadn’t given much
thought to price...”

Mandy felt her stomach plummet.
Were they talking about her? Was Hank fixing to trade her off to Mr. Henderson?

“Would you be open to barter?”

Mandy had heard enough. She felt
sick and thought she might lose the contents of her stomach any second. She
moved away from the cabin quietly, then broke into a run. She found herself in
the shade at the back of the barn several moments later, not even remembering
getting herself there.

Mandy leaned against the barn and
then slid down to the ground. Her legs felt like rubber and tears were running
down her cheeks.

She had truly believed that Hank
was different. She had come to trust him. She even thought that maybe she loved
him, although she wasn’t quite sure what love was and so she didn’t know what
it was supposed to feel like. She also thought that maybe Hank loved her. He
had never said the words though.

But she hadn’t conceived a child
yet and Mandy knew that was one of the things that Hank wanted more than
anything in the world. He wanted children. What if she never conceived? It
could be he didn’t want to waste any more time on waiting for her to have his
child. With Mandy out of the way—and the sooner the better apparently—Hank
could go on to find another wife, a wife that could bear children for him.

It was nearly a full year since the
bride train had brought Mandy and those other women to these parts. Pastor
Karlson had been speaking in church last Sunday about how another group of
women were set to arrive next month and how the folks running the operation
were thinking of making it a yearly event.

It could be that Hank had got to
thinking that he could get a new bride for himself, one who could bear him
children right away. One who wouldn’t make him wait so long to consummate the
marriage. Mandy’s imagination started running wild over all the things she felt
she had done wrong. And all the reasons why Hank wouldn’t want to keep her.

It felt like her heart was
breaking.

She let herself cry for a bit
longer, until she heard the two men’s voices coming out the cabin door.

“That sounds fine, just fine,” Mr.
Henderson was saying. “You just bring her on over tomorrow and I’m sure she’ll
get accustomed to her new home right quick.”

“Thanks, Nate. I’m just fond of
her, y’know.”

“I know, but she’ll be fine. I’ll
take good care of her.”

Mandy stayed out of sight until
Nate Henderson had ridden off and Hank had headed out into the fields again.
When the both men were out of sight, she made her way quickly into the cabin.

Grabbing her travel bag from where
she had stashed it under the bed the day she had arrived, Mandy quickly packed
her few possessions and stopped to take one last look around the cabin.

She felt the tears threaten again.
She had come to think of this place as home, the first real, true home she had
ever had. And it had all been a lie.

Mandy wasn’t going to let Hank do
that to her. She wasn’t going to let him get rid of her without her knowledge
or consent, just like all the others had. Mandy vowed that no one would ever do
that to her again.

She quickly packed a few things to
eat that would keep, biscuits and jerky and some water in a jar. She planned to
travel by foot. She’d keep to herself until she came to the next town and then
she’d try to find work.

*  
*   *

Hank finished plowing the south end
of the field just about supper time. He was glad he’d been able to finish what
he’d planned to that day. Falling behind always left him feeling frustrated. A
good day’s work that went as planned never failed to satisfy him.

Hank made his way back to the barn,
looking forward to a good meal and some time spent with Mandy. She was always
pleasant company these days. The more content she became, the more relaxed and
happy she became also. Her true personality was beginning to shine through and
she was bright as sunshine and sweet as a cool glass of lemonade on a hot day.

Hank was thinking maybe tonight he
could broach the subject he’d been meaning to discuss with her for some time
now. Mandy hadn’t gotten with child as yet, and Hank had considered that maybe
he and Mandy could adopt a child to start. There was a new type of train coming
out west these days that wasn’t just for unmarried women—it was an orphan
train. Children from orphanages in the big cities were being brought out west
to be adopted by childless families. The last time he and Mandy had attended
Sunday services he had talked to the pastor about it afterward. Hank couldn’t
see the down side.

After settling the team with fresh
hay and feed, Hank headed toward the cabin. There wasn’t any smoke coming from
the chimney. The last time that happened was when Sara had the baby and Mandy
had gone off to help without telling him. But Hank had both horses with him.
Hank washed up outside and opened the door.

The cabin was empty. No fire in the
hearth, no dinner being fixed, no coffee brewing. And no Mandy. Where could she
be?

*  
*   *

Mandy started out walking along the
worn path that led from the farm and toward town. The Johansson’s farm was in
this direction also. Then she realized that, if Hank should notice that she was
gone before supper time, he would easily find her walking there.

She needed to move off the road as
soon as possible and travel through the woods instead. The only problem with
doing that was the very real possibility that she would lose her sense of direction
once she was in too deep and get lost.

Mandy decided that if she just kept
sight of the clearing and the road from not too deep in, she wouldn’t get lost.
She ventured in and kept to moving. She wanted to make town by nightfall, if
possible.

Mandy tried hard to focus on her
feet and where she was stepping. The ground was rough and rocky, overgrown with
brush, and she could easily trip and fall. The last thing she needed right now
was an injury to slow her down. Plus, if she focused on her walking, she
wouldn’t think about Hank and how much she’d miss him.

The ground in front of Mandy became
blurry as tears clouded her vision. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to
stay here. She wanted to stay with Hank. She liked it here on the farm and she
really liked Hank.

Then she reminded herself that he
was the one who had chosen to change things. He had chosen to send her away.
She really didn’t have a choice about whether she stayed with Hank or not. The
decision had already been made. And so she had to go.

Reaching up with her left hand,
Mandy swiped at her eyes to clear the tears and restore her vision. She moved
forward at the same time and, instead of spotting the vine crossing her path,
she walked right into it, both feet catching against the strong growth. Mandy
shrieked as she went face first down into the brush, landing on the rocky path
before her.

*  
*   *

Hank stuck to the path at first. It
was well-worn and, although he thought Mandy might choose to travel through the
woods to conceal herself, he still figured she wouldn’t stray too far from the
edge of the path. She’d easily get lost if she went too deep into the woods.
She knew that much.

He still couldn’t believe her
valise was gone and most of her things. Why? Hank thought they were well past Mandy’s
doubts of the marriage, the situation—him. He really couldn’t figure what had
prompted her to leave. It would make more sense to him if something had
recently happened between them that was unpleasant, but Hank couldn’t even
think of one thing that might have prompted this behavior.

He’d find out soon enough when he
caught up to her. She’d have some explaining to do, that was for sure. And she
sure wouldn’t be sitting comfortably for a few days at least, he’d see to that.

With that, Hank heard a scream. One
brief high-pitched shriek. He stopped his horse in its tracks and cocked his
ear. Silence. “Mandy!” Hank shouted her name. That just had to have been her.
“Mandy! Answer me, girl!”

Nothing.

Hank dismounted and tied his horse
to the nearest limb. The sound had come from the woods, so Hank headed toward
that sound, shouting her name as he went. “Mandy? Mandy! Can you hear me?” Hank
eyes searched the ground as he went for signs of trampled brush. “Mandy!”

Hank stilled when he heard a noise.
It sounded like a moan. He headed right for that sound...and found Mandy.

She was sprawled on the ground,
looking bruised and bloody.

“Oh, Mandy, sweetheart.” Hank
kneeled next to her. “It’s all right, baby, I’m here. You’re going to be
alright.” Hank gently slipped his arms under her and she moaned. He lifted her
and carried her to the clearing near where his horse waited patiently.

“I tripped and fell.” Mandy stated
feebly, as the tears started rolling down her face. Hank fetched a spare
blanket from his horse and, rolling it, placed it under Mandy’s head to make
her as comfortable as possible as he checked her over.

When Hank was satisfied that
nothing was broken, just bruised, he did his best to clean her up a bit with a
rag from his pocket and some water from his water pouch. Mandy had a few cuts
that would need better tending once they were home. Overall, she’d be fine
after some rest. Hank was relieved that she was safe, more than he could ever
express.

He helped Mandy up, anxious to get
her home, where he would be able to treat those nastier cuts, and into bed
where she could rest more comfortably. He helped her walk over to his horse and
then paused. Turning her to face him, he tipped her chin up.

“Why were you running away,
Amanda?”

Mandy averted her eyes at first, then,
seeming to remember what she was about, she looked straight at Hank. “I wanted
to be the one to choose where I go next. Not you.”

Now Hank was really confused. “I
don’t understand.” She wasn’t making any sense. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know yet, but it’s not up
to you.” Mandy looked to be fighting back tears. “You can’t just get rid of me
like the others. I won’t let you.”

“You’re not making any sense,
Mandy, least not to me.” Hank was trying to understand, but she was beginning
to get sassy with him, and he wasn’t going to stand for that. “I will say where
you go and don’t go, though.”

Mandy stamped her foot then and
Hank raised his eyebrows.

“I’ve a good mind to tan your hide
right now, young lady, since those cuts and bruises don’t seem to be modifying
your bad behavior in the least. Is that what you’re aiming for? Do you need
your backside warmed to remind you who’s in charge here?”

“You can’t be in charge of me if
you don’t want me no more!” Mandy practically shouted at him and then burst
into tears.

“Why would you think I don’t want
you?”

“You’re going to give me away to
the Hendersons; you’re sending me away. I heard you talking to Mr. Henderson
about me.” Mandy was shaking her head as she spoke. “You told him I couldn’t
have kids, you told him you didn’t have a use for me---” Mandy’s voice broke at
these words, and she stopped speaking.

Hank couldn’t keep the smile from
his face. It was tempered only by the fact that Mandy was so clearly deeply
distressed by her misunderstanding of the situation. That fact alone kept Hank
from laughing out loud.

“Tillie.” Hank stated. “Mandy, we
were discussing Tillie.”

Mandy’s mouth fell open. “Our
goat
?”

Hank nodded, waiting for the
information to be fully absorbed by Mandy. She had gotten herself into such a
state, he was sure she needed a few minutes at the least to get herself onto
the same page as he.

“But...I thought...” she stammered.

“I’m getting a good idea what you
thought, Mandy.” Hank face took on a stern demeanor. “I’ve a good mind to put
you across my knee right now and give you the spanking of your life for
thinking such a thing.”

Mandy was still shaking her head in
disbelief. “You said that I couldn’t have kids!” Mandy didn’t seem ready to let
it go until everything that she had overheard had been explained by Hank.

“Baby goats are called ‘kids’, city
girl,” Hank teased.

Mandy smiled and looked down, and
Hank noticed a faint blush creep up her neck onto her cheeks. He knew that
moniker always embarrassed her.

“I didn’t know that.”

“You don’t say.”

Mandy peeked up as Hank smiled down
at her, then he became serious again.

“You’re my
wife
, Amanda.”
Hank reached for Mandy’s chin and tilted her face up to his. “I took a vow. 'Til
death do us part. I will not trade you away or give you away or leave you
somewhere. I will always take care of you, cherish you, keep you near to me.”

Hank gave Mandy a moment to absorb
what he had told her and to let the true meaning behind his words sink in. She seemed
to be doing so and gathering her thoughts.

“When you grow up on your own, being
moved from one home to another and no one family really to say is your own, no
one place you ever feel is home,” Mandy glanced at Hank as he listened
intently, “you’re just never sure who you can trust.”

“There just isn’t anyone that has
to be kind because they’re your family. Not because of what you do for them, or
anything like that. Just because.”