Edwina: Bride of Connecticut (American Mail-Order Brides 5) Read online

  “It wouldn’t be your fault. I’m sure you did it with the best of intentions. There is always a risk, but sometimes it’s worth taking a chance.” Eddy gnawed the finger of her glove. “Maybe I should do something like this too.”

  “Oh?” Roberta’s eyes widened. “But you’re rich.”

  “Unfortunately, no. I have a tale of woe to tell too.” Eddy grimaced.

  Roberta listened without interrupting as Eddy told her about the predicament she was in.

  “It could be a solution for you.” Roberta opened her bag and pulled out the gazette. “I’ve marked the names of the women alongside the men they will be writing to. There are only a few left in this edition. Where would you like to live?”

  “I originally come from Tennessee, so if it were possible to get a respectable man from there, I would be interested.”

  “Mm, nothing from Tennessee, but what about this man Joshua Sinclair from Connecticut. He sounds all right. Quite a presence about him.”

  Eddy scrutinized the picture. The man had kind eyes, and a determined set to his chin. His hair was wavy, slightly tousled looking. Yes, he certainly was presentable.

  With growing interest, she read the advertisement details about him. – Six feet tall, dark hair, blue eyes. Thirty years of age. A farmer in the Hartford area. Quite able to keep a wife in comfort. He wanted a kind hearted, Christian woman aged between 21 and 30. She must want children and be willing to live in an isolated community. He was prepared to supply references.

  He sounded perfect except for Connecticut. She really wanted to move further away. Still…

  Texas lawman needs a submissive wife. Eddy discarded him immediately, much too arrogant sounding. So, Joshua from Connecticut it had to be. She took down the particulars and vowed to write to him.

  “Most of the girls will be leaving from Boston,” Roberta said.

  “I might be able to be of some help there. I know a respectable lady who runs a boarding house. If any of the girls needed to stay overnight while waiting for their trains, I could arrange it.”

  Roberta clapped her hands, her radiant smile reflecting in her eyes. “That would be ideal.”

  They chatted for another half an hour. Eddy basked in the knowledge she had made a new friend, and now had hope for the future. She would write to Joshua tonight.

  Regretfully Roberta departed, but not before they exchanged addresses. Feeling happy for the first time in months, Eddy walked briskly over to the dressmakers to wait for Charlotte. Even staying the night at the ostentatious Queen Victoria hotel was now bearable. At least it got her away from Aunt Victoria’s spite.

  The moment they arrived home, Eddy hurried to her room to pen a letter to Joshua Sinclair.

  Dear Mr. Sinclair,

  A friend of mine showed me the Gazette and your profile appealed to me.

  My name is Edwina Pearson. I am twenty-one years old, never married and I am looking for a respectable man. You appear to have the same values and aspirations as I do.

  I am five feet two inches in height and have auburn hair and brown eyes. For the last few years I have been living in Boston, but as I originally came from Tennessee, the isolation of your farm would not be a deterrent for me. My housekeeping skills are reasonable and I can ride a horse.

  She gnawed her lower lip. Better not to mention she was an expert shot who could hold her own against any man, in case it made her sound unladylike. She wanted to come across as capable but refined. In her opinion, that was the type of woman most men would favor when selecting a wife. And she did want him to select her.

  I look forward to your reply.

  Yours sincerely,

  Edwina Pearson.

  She addressed the envelope, vowing to post it in the morning.

  Chapter Two

  Three weeks later a letter arrived from Joshua Sinclair. Her heart thumped against her rib cage, her hands trembled as she struggled to open it.

  My Dear Miss Pearson,

  I was pleased to receive your letter, and you do sound like the type of lady I would like to wed. So, if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife, I swear that you will always be treated with kindness and respect.

  I am enclosing two references from my Bank Manager and our local Law Enforcement Officer, to vouch for my character.

  Please let me know as soon as you can whether you accept my marriage proposal. I know this is all rather rushed, especially as we have only exchanged a couple of letters, but I don’t like procrastination. Once I have made up my mind, I like to act quickly on my decisions.

  I will, of course, be responsible for your travel expenses from Boston to Hartford, the nearest stage coach depot to my farm. Please advise the time and date of your arrival, and I will be there to meet you.

  Sincerely Yours,

  Joshua Sinclair.

  Eddy replied immediately, accepting his proposal. She had already checked on the best route to take to Hartford in anticipation of a positive reply. Now all she had to do was book her passage. It would be a long, tedious journey with several coach changes and an overnight stay, but well worth any inconveniences to break free of her aunt. The sooner she left here the better.

  Her aunt was becoming more vindictive with each passing day, and Nigel more insistent. He had tried to kiss her one night on the front porch and she had gagged when his sloppy wet lips came in contact with hers. A kick in the shins had him yelping with pain and vowing dire consequences if she did not accept his proposal of marriage, and soon.

  Why he wanted to marry her when she had made it obvious his advances were not wanted had been a mystery, until she overheard Aunt Victoria talking to him. “If you don’t wed her soon,” she snapped. “My offer of a generous dowry will be withdrawn.” It was well known in certain circles that Nigel was a heavy gambler, so a substantial dowry would help cover his excesses.

  Eddy felt like a slave on the auction block. Shock, anger and humiliation overwhelmed her. Aunt Victoria must really hate me if she’s prepared to spend her own money to get rid of me.

  Her position in this house had become untenable.

  That evening Uncle Stanley was in his study and her aunt and cousin were attending the Opera. This was her chance to ask for his help.

  Eddy knocked on the door of the study and entered. He was slumped over his desk with his face buried in his hands. He looked so sad she rushed over to him.

  “Are you unwell?”

  “No, my dear, I am just so worried about you.”

  “Worried about me?” Eddy leaned down and picked up his hand, clasping it between her own.

  “You know your aunt has her heart set on you marrying that young wretch Nigel. I have tried to dissuade her but she is adamant. You have to announce your betrothal to him or move out of this house.”

  “She’s made no secret of the fact she wants to get rid of me, but why?”

  He slumped even lower into the chair, and had the look of a whipped cur. “She feels you are now a threat to Charlotte’s happiness.”

  “A threat?”

  “Yes. Several young men within our circle of friends have indicated that they would like to court you with a view to marriage. That English Lord, can’t remember his name but he came here a few times with Nigel, actually told Charlotte he wanted to marry you. Victoria has plans for him to marry Charlotte.”

  “That pompous English stuffed shirt? I have no interest in him or his kind.”

  “I know, my dear, you are much too discerning. You’re like your mother, my dear little Maddie, you follow your heart.” He shook his head sadly. “I truly have tried to do the best I could for you, but…”

  “Don’t distress yourself, you’ve always been kind to me. I think I might have found a solution to our problem, but I may need your help.”

  His face lit up with hope. Poor man, what must it be like living with a woman who was intent on grinding him into the ground? Eddy showed him the original Gazette advertisement, and the letter written by Joshua Sinclair
and the character references.

  “Hmm, sounds a respectable type of man. Those testimonials he supplied were most impressive.”

  “Can you help me to get to Hartford?”

  “My dear Edwina, I am so glad you felt able to come to me with this.” He patted her hand. “Any man would be proud to have you as his wife, but be wary. Remember, you can always call on me for help. If this doesn’t work out or the man is not what he says he is, return here immediately. Unfortunately, I am a weak man and have allowed Victoria to dominate me for years. I can’t change now, but she doesn’t have to know I’ve helped.” He gave a conspiratorial wink. “It will be another little secret between us.”

  After her talk with Uncle Stanley, Eddy made her way upstairs to her room. He had promised to hide her luggage in the coach house and have it personally delivered to the stage depot for the first leg of the journey. She would not take much. A trunk and a carpet bag would suffice.

  She would pack her father’s Winchester repeating rifle in the trunk. The Remington hand gun she would carry on her person for protection. She much preferred a man’s gun to the sissy Derringer most gun-toting women favored.

  Sitting in front of her mirror, she released her hair from its chignon and it tumbled down over her shoulders, the red-gold curls unfurling like sails in the wind, to waist level. Her hair was her most becoming feature and she religiously brushed it for at least ten minutes every day. In bed she either wore it loose or in a long plait, depending on her mood.

  ***

  Josh drove the buckboard to the stage depot, his anger simmering just below the surface. He begrudged having to hand over his hard earned money to this woman, but it was the lesser of the two evils.

  He had been in two minds as to whether to turn up at all. Common decency overrode his anger and here he was. The woman had accepted his marriage proposal, well, Amy’s proposal, in good faith. She at least deserved an explanation. He would pay her fare back to Boston and give her a few extra dollars for her trouble.

  The stage was late, typical, he thought savagely. A cold wind swirled around his legs, but at least it wasn’t raining. He pulled his hat down a little lower in case a sudden gust blew it off. Winter was upon them if this November chill was anything to go by. The weather could be brutal up at his cabin, but it never deterred him from spending time up there.

  He lounged against a massive oak tree, almost denuded of its foliage. In fact, most of the trees were leafless now, ready for their winter sleep.

  He pulled up the collar of his fur lined jacket and thrust his hands into the deep pockets. Damn Amy’s meddling in his affairs. This was one confrontation he was dreading. He lowered his head and closed his eyes for a second. Glancing up, he spied the coach taking the sweeping bend a couple of hundred yards away from the depot.

  It came to a grinding halt. Two men and two women alighted. Three of the passengers went into the depot immediately, leaving one woman nervously hovering out the front. The driver tossed several pieces of luggage on to the ground.

  “Bobby, get your ass out here,” the driver bellowed.

  A skinny boy dashed out from the side of the building. His ragged clothing looked like hand-me-downs from an adult. “Hurry up.” The driver cuffed him several times across the back of the head.

  “Enough.” Josh stepped forward. “Leave the boy alone, or you’ll answer to me.”

  “Yeah, and what will you do?” the driver sneered. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “Well, you ought to be.” Josh pulled a colt from inside his jacket and the man stomped off. “Here you are, lad.” He flicked a silver coin at the boy, who stopped unhitching the horses, and snatched up the money.

  Swinging away from the coach, Josh stepped over to the woman. Could this petite young thing be Edwina Pearson? He couldn’t see her hair because it was covered by a fur trimmed bonnet, but huge brown eyes complemented her soft white skin.

  Belatedly, he swept his hat off. She was nothing like he imagined.

  “Are you Joshua Sinclair?” Her voice was husky, possibly from fatigue.

  “Yes.” He almost felt sorry for her. Dang, it wasn’t his fault she had travelled over a hundred miles on a wild goose chase.

  “I’m Edwina Pearson. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Sinclair.”

  “Look, Miss Pearson. I’m sorry, but there has been a dreadful mistake. I am not in the market for a wife. It would be best if you returned home.”

  “I will not.” She stamped her foot. “Y…” Anger made her stammer. “You proposed marriage to me and I accepted.”

  “My sister wrote those letters.”

  She stared him straight in the face, her eyes flashing, head thrown back. “I have it in writing. You proposed marriage to me and I am holding you to your word.”

  “I told you.” He ground the words between clenched teeth. “My sister wrote those stupid letters.”

  “How do I know you aren’t lying?”

  He could not believe the audacity of this woman, Boston society written all over her. His temper rose. “Because I say so. I am not marrying you and that is final. I will pay your fare home and compensate you for your, um, inconvenience.”

  “Look here, Mister. I came here to marry you and I will, even if I have to go to the law. I could at the very least sue you for breach of promise.”

  Eddy could not believe she was arguing with this man. What a presence he had. Even though anger vibrated from him, her heart pounded in her breast. Disappointment and desperation surged through her. She couldn’t go back. She had to go forward.

  Exhaustion overwhelmed her, and every bone in her body ached. It had been a long harrowing journey. Her discomfort made worse by the last driver who was an uncouth pig, spitting and cussing all the time.

  She was glad of her woolen coat and matching gloves, keeping the worst of the cold at bay. Breathing in the perfume of the pine trees, she instinctively knew she would like it here. Joshua Sinclair glowered at her, but his act of kindness toward the ragged boy redeemed him in her eyes.

  “You can put my luggage in your buckboard, the floral carpet bag and the brown trunk, nearest to the door,” she said haughtily, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice.

  Josh snatched up the two pieces of luggage and dumped them into the buckboard. How dare this stuck-up little Boston Miss threaten to put the law on to him?

  “I would like a hot drink and something to eat before we leave, please.”

  Right, I’ll fix you he inwardly raged. To hell with propriety. He would take her to his cabin. A couple of nights up there in cold isolation would have her begging him to send her home.

  “Come along.” He took her by the arm and led her into the stage depot. This could be amusing. How he would enjoy her discomfort. No-one threatened him and got away with it.

  “They only serve biscuits and coffee here. Do you mind if I call you Edwina?”

  “Of course not. We’ll be man and wife soon. I’ll be calling you Joshua. Biscuits and hot coffee will be perfect.”

  He found a table in the corner of the room. The fewer people who saw them together the better. He wasn’t in the mood to answer awkward questions. Yep, he would take her up to the cabin then send her home after a couple of days. It was a good plan.

  “What about our wedding?”

  He gave an angry snort. “If you like my cabin and way of life I will marry you.” He felt confident that she would be so desperate to leave the cabin she would beg him to let her go.

  “How you doing, Josh?” A well-dressed middle aged man sauntered over. “Who’s your lady friend?”

  “Edwina Pearson.”

  “I’m Bernard Wainright, the Bank Manager here in Hartford. Very pleased to meet you, Miss Pearson.” He smiled. “You have yourself a good man here.” He turned to Josh, “She’s a mighty pretty gal. You’ve done well, my boy.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Wainright. I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.

  With a nod he walked away.
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br />   Grinding his teeth, Josh squirmed in his seat. He glanced up and laughter lurked in her eyes. She quickly lowered her lashes and he wondered whether he had imagined her merriment. This woman was not going to be as easy to manage as what he had thought. She was smart and attractive. What was her hair like? He wished she would take off her bonnet so he could see. No he didn’t. He didn’t care what she looked like. In a couple of days he would be free of her.

  He drank his coffee, but declined a biscuit even though it was hot from the oven. This slip of a gal had his belly tied up in knots.

  She slathered the biscuit with butter and ate with obvious enjoyment, stopping every now and again to sip daintily at her coffee.

  From beneath lowered lashes, Eddy assessed him. Not classically handsome, his features were too rugged for that. His skin was tanned. His nut brown hair was tousled, as if he had dragged his fingers through it. If what he said about not placing the advertisement in the Gazette was true, and if she had been put in the same position as him, she would probably have pulled her hair out. His deep blue eyes were his best feature. This man exuded power.

  Had his sister really written those letters? If so, where was she? He was strong, his grip firm, but she had felt the strength. The Bank Manager obviously thought highly of him as they were on friendly terms, and this was comforting. Joshua’s kindness to the boy looking after the horses showed a man who was caring.

  She wanted to marry this man. No, she had to.

  “Have you finished?” he growled. “We have a long drive ahead of us.”

  After the warmth of the depot, the cold wind slapped her face the moment she walked outside. Joshua cupped his hand around her elbow, a big hand, strong but not rough He lifted her into the buckboard and climbed on board. “Giddy up.” He flicked the horse’s rump with the reins and they set off.

  The countryside was pretty, even with so many bare trees, but the grass was green and lush. Cattle, she didn’t know whether they were for dairy or meat, grazed in well-cared for paddocks.