A Bride for Alastair Read online

  A Bride

  for

  Alastair

  Wendy May Andrews

  ∞∞∞

  Sparrow Ink

  www.sparrowdeck.com

  Copyright © 2019 Wendy May Andrews

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, transmitted, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN - 978-1-989634-02-8

  www.wendymayandrews.com

  Secrets divide them. Could love build a bridge to help them overcome their deceptions?

  Jane was full of resentment and fear when the man she had married by proxy came to collect her. She resented the circumstances that required her to marry and was afraid of being tied to a stranger, especially a stranger she had to keep secrets from.

  Alastair Fredericksburg, Fred to his friends, had arranged successful proxy marriages for a few of his friends but still had mixed feelings about marriage due to his sister’s unhappy union. He was understandably hesitant when his friends Ella and Carter McLain contacted him requesting that he arrange a marriage for their friend, Jane.

  When a sudden inheritance that would solve many of his sister’s problems is dependent on his marriage, Fred can’t decide if it’s the Devil or Providence watching out for him. Since Carter had already sent Jane’s proxy, Fred quickly signs and registers their marriage. After making sure his sister was secure, Fred boarded the westbound train to claim his wife.

  Jane was certain it was only the sweet wine they had been drinking that had caused her to agree to Ella’s rash suggestion. She had failed to tell Ella of the secrets that made her an ineligible match for Alastair Fredericksburg. Would she be able to keep her secrets from her new husband? And could they ever be happy while divided by deception?

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

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  About the Author

  Dedication

  In this story, Jane has a huge secret that she’s keeping from her new husband she’s just met. I believe communication is the key to any successful relationship. But it’s most definitely not always easy. This book is dedicated to everyone learning to share their thoughts and feelings. Hopefully witnessing Alastair and Jane’s struggles will help you find your own path to success.

  Acknowledgements

  I need to thank my wonderful beta readers. Especially this time! The manuscript they had to start with was a hot mess. Thank you Marlene, Suzanne, Monique, Alfred, and Christina. You are the best. Without your help and suggestions, this book wouldn’t have made it.

  Thanks to my editor, Julie Sherwood, who is great at dealing with my mixed up Canadian spelling and lack of comma knowledge. Any mistakes left behind are completely my fault.

  The lovely cover on this book is the results of Virginia McKevitt’s designs.

  Chapter One

  “What do you mean she’s not here?”

  Fred stared at his good friend. They hadn’t seen each other in person in several years, but Carter was one of his best friends. They had known each other as boys and gone to University together. At least until Carter had left school to strike out on his own and seek his own future away from the hierarchy of the East. He had done well for himself. But Fred couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by such thoughts.

  “I wrote, telling you, and her, that I was on my way. Why did she not wait? Did she not trust that our marriage would protect her from her sister?”

  Fred noticed Ella, Carter’s wife, biting her lip. “I rather think it was your imminent arrival that set her off.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Fred wanted to yell at her, but she was such a sweet, delicate woman, he didn’t have it in him. But what she was saying led him to believe his brand new wife, whom he hadn’t yet even met, had left at the thought of meeting him, not due to her fear of her sister’s machinations.

  “I’m sorry,” Ella said in a low tone as tears trembled in her eyes. “I thought we were doing you a favor, not a disservice, when we asked you to find her a husband and you decided to marry her yourself. But I fear we’ve done you wrong even though we owe you so much.”

  Fred watched in frustration as Carter put his arm around his wife and said, “You couldn’t have possibly known she would run off like that. I certainly didn’t, and I’ve known her and her family far longer than you have.”

  “But I was the one spending so much time with her. I should have realized something wasn’t right. And I did know she was disturbed by something, but I just thought it was how viciously angry her sister had become over the news that she could no longer force Jane into marriage with Avery Flynn. I thought Jane would feel safe now that Fred was on the way. I thought it was nerves. I’m so very sorry, Fred.”

  “Don’t get yourself worked up, Ella, it can’t possibly be good for you.” Fred’s gaze glanced briefly to the growing belly she couldn’t hide and actually felt a smile tug at his lips when the woman touched it protectively. There was just something about a mother’s love that Fred found so appealing. Maybe because he had lost his mother at a young age and had felt the need to take on that role with his sister. The thought of his sister hardened his resolve.

  “When was the last time you saw her?”

  “Yesterday. She said she wanted to be as fresh as possible for your arrival, so she retired very early. Her explanation seemed sensible, so I didn’t even check on her before I retired for the night.”

  “And I, of course, didn’t either,” Carter interjected.

  “So, you can have no way of knowing when exactly she left or where she might have been heading?”

  “None whatsoever,” Ella answered glumly while Carter nodded. “We checked with her sister this morning when we realized Jane was gone.”

  Fred raised his eyebrows. “That can’t have been a pleasant experience.”

  Ella actually smiled. “I think the poor woman is seriously ill. She laughed when we told her we thought Jane was missing and were worried about her. I don’t think she knows anything. At least nothing that could be in the least helpful.”

  “She might know where Jane would have gone, mightn’t she? Or to whom she might go for help.”

  Ella didn’t look convinced. “I don’t think so. It doesn’t seem as though Jane had anyone but us to turn to. Unless she was to go back to Boston. But I was always under the impression that she didn’t consider that to be an option. That was why she was so very terrified by her sister’s efforts to marry her off to Avery Flynn. She didn’t feel she had anywhere to turn. Which is why she sent you her proxy.”

  “Which she no longer seems to be happy about.”

  “There has to be some sort of explanation.”

  “I’m sure there is,” Fred replied, “but not an explanation we are about to get any time too soon, from the looks of things. I don’t even know what she looks like, so I’m not completely certain how I shall even search for her.”

  Ella and Carter exchanged a gla
nce. The type that made Fred feel isolated. The kind of glance that spoke of understanding, without the need for words. Fred was happy for them, but it made him all the more lonely. If only he had found a wife eagerly waiting for him. He would be on the way to being able to share glances like that himself rather than feeling isolated and rejected once more. Fred pulled his thoughts into order. It wouldn’t do to fall into a melancholy now. He had a bride to find. Unfortunately, he was already married to the girl. What a complete mess.

  ~~~

  Jane looked around the crowded train station. She had thought leaving in the night would have benefited her. She had hoped to be far from here long before now. She hadn’t accounted for the fact that the schedule didn’t run upon her insistence. She could hear the time ticking by both literally and figuratively. There was a large clock beside her. The tick-tick-tick was driving her mad, reminding her of the diminishing chances of her escape.

  She had hidden in the cloakroom when the train arrived, even though she knew her groom had no idea what she looked like. It had been an instinctive reaction. One of self-preservation. And that right there was the saddest commentary on the farce that her life had become. She had hidden in the cloakroom to avoid her brand new husband. Jane heaved a heavy sigh.

  She acknowledged the fact that her life had been spiraling out of control for the past several years. Ever since her mother had died, really. That was when she had been pulled out of school. Her father had never believed in educating his daughters. He had only agreed in order to pacify his wife. Once she was no longer around, he didn’t see the need to continue.

  Jane had pleaded with her father, begging him, based on his late wife’s wishes, to leave her in school. She had only been two years away from completing the basic education. She had loved learning. If she could have had her wish, she would have continued school indefinitely. From what she had heard, there was a University in Boston that was welcoming female students. But one needed at minimum the most basic education before being able to continue on to higher education, she was sure.

  Her lack of learning was just one of the things that made her feel inferior. She never felt comfortable with most other people. And now she was married to Alastair Fredericksburg. How was that to be born? He was the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes upon. Even better looking than Carter McLain, in her opinion. She would never tell Ella that, of course, but that was her view on the subject, and there wasn’t anything that was likely to persuade her otherwise.

  Jane allowed her mind to drift to the last time she had seen Mr. Fredericksburg. His brown hair had seemed to glow in the sunlight, flashing golden and auburn in the bright light of day. He was the picture of health. Tall, lean, and strong beneath his fashionable clothes. His erect carriage and strong hands had been such a stark contrast to her father’s stooped, wasting posture.

  She didn’t like to think of her father. Not that he had been the worst she had ever heard of. He had never raised his fists against her or any of her siblings. But he had never had an encouraging word to offer, either. And despite his lack of violence, he had raised the family with a figurative iron fist, never willing to listen to reasoning of any sort.

  He had refused to comfort any of them, as well. Their mother’s death had been the first, but they had lost siblings as well. It seemed the man had shrunk with each one. Finally, he had sent Jane out to work. That was his final explanation as to why she couldn’t continue in school. She needed to help support the family. Why she had to, and not her older brothers, was a mystery for Jane, but she had obeyed. And all her dreams had finally drifted away. Or so she had thought. They had rekindled momentarily when Ella had spoken of arranging a husband by proxy. Ella’s belief that it would solve all Jane’s problems had been momentarily contagious. But such miracles did not happen to her. Ella’s success was surely a lucky happenstance.

  Jane was, of course, happy for Ella and Carter. She didn’t begrudge them their happiness for the briefest moment. Jane didn’t think she would have been happy with Carter herself, despite Phoebe’s conviction that she ought to have married him. She still shook her head with disbelief whenever she thought of her sister’s plans. Phoebe had sent for her from Boston, it was well over a year ago, now.

  Jane had been so excited when she had received her sister’s message. She had been so sure that her luck was finally changing. Finally, one of her family cared for her and would rescue her from the drudgery that was her life. But when she had arrived, it had become obvious very quickly that her sister wasn’t well. It was tragic, really, and Jane felt sorry for her sister most of the time.

  Phoebe was her older sister, and Jane tried to respect her and care for her. But her crazy ideas were hard to cope with. Jane should have known. Phoebe had always had crazy ideas. They had just been a little better controlled when she was younger.

  But how Phoebe had thought to force Carter to agree to marry Jane, she would never know. Perhaps Phoebe had just figured that he would be desperate for a wife being stuck out in the wilds of Missouri. But Carter was a resourceful man. He wouldn’t have allowed such a consideration to force him into anything.

  Phoebe hadn’t wanted to accept that, though. She was determined to arrange an advantageous marriage for Jane. Jane still wasn’t sure why her sister was so determined to get her married. There didn’t seem to be anything much in it for her, but Phoebe was bound and determined. So much so that she had been making every effort to force Jane into marrying Avery Flynn. Which is why she had agreed to Ella’s plan to send for a more appropriate groom from Boston.

  But now that Jane was actually married, she had panicked. What would a well-to-do man from Boston want with her? She hadn’t even finished her schooling. It would have been better for her to marry one of the townsfolk here in Missouri. Or even Avery Flynn. Maybe he wasn’t so very bad. There must be some redeeming qualities to him, surely, or her sister wouldn’t have been so insistent. But Jane couldn’t agree to that arrangement. And she hadn’t realized Ella would marry her off to Alastair Fredericksburg. Jane stifled a shudder. She should have known she was doomed.

  So here she was, waiting for the train. She really ought to have gotten on the one Mr. Fredericksburg had gotten off. But it was heading further west. What she didn’t want was somewhere even more primitive than where she already was. Jane had thought that one of the growing cities between here and Boston would be a good place for her to be able to hide and make a new life for herself.

  As she sat there staring off into space, her mind drifted back toward her new husband. His handsome appearance was only one of the many things to recommend him. And only one of the many that made her desperate to get away from him. She didn’t deserve such a catch; that was for certain. Jane shook her head. She really should have agreed to the marriage her sister wanted for her. She didn’t deserve better.

  Jane felt a catch in her throat and took herself to task. Now was not the time to give in to her emotions. She had clearly been spending far too much time with Ella St. Clair McLain. It had given her too many ideas. Ella was always going on about deserving the best in life. And connecting with your feelings.

  Feelings had never gotten Jane very far, at least not since her mother’s death. Feelings were a luxury she couldn’t afford as she had worked, scrubbing floors and latrines, in the homes of her former friends after her circumstances had reversed so spectacularly. Her father’s grief had made it impossible for him to continue his banking career. In the end, she had done whatever was necessary to keep food on the table. Well, she temporized, within reason.

  She had managed to hold onto her moral compass despite the hardships she had faced. Sometimes she wondered why she had bothered, but it felt like she was holding onto the last vestige of her former self. It had been a comfort on the coldest, early morning as she had made her way to work. She had been confident she was doing the right thing. Jane believed her mother would have nodded in approval if she had been able to see her. Of course, her mother would ha
ve been devastated to know she had gone into service. Jane’s mother had been from an old wealthy family. But they had turned their backs on Jane and the rest of her family after her mother died.

  Sighing again, Jane gazed out the window, willing a train to appear in the station. She could have walked to the next station at this rate. She should have. She was like a sitting duck waiting here, as though she wanted to be caught. Jane wondered if her husband would even know her if he saw her. But if Ella or Carter were looking for her, surely this would be one of the first places they would ask about her.

  She glanced around the waiting room once more. There weren’t many people waiting for the train. It wasn’t the time of year that people left. More often they were arriving in droves, now that the spring thaw had finally set in earnest.

  Jane thought once more about her new husband. What would he be thinking? Would he be relieved that he wasn’t actually saddled with her? Could he have their marriage cancelled somehow? He could claim she had abandoned him. Not that such a virile man would want to make such a claim, but it would be true, and surely there was a legal precedent for it.

  She hadn’t paid as close attention as she should have when Carter was explaining all the legalities of their situation, but she was fairly certain they had to take up communal residence at least for some time period. But they were well and truly married, she knew that. Carter had explained that there had been serious reasons for Mr. Fredericksburg to seek the marriage. Jane hoped her desertion didn’t mess with his plans.

  Jane bit her lip. What if it did? She would have done wrong to two members of that family, in that case. Would she be able to live with herself? She sighed again and once more felt tears trembling on her lashes. Her feelings were pressing against her breastbone. How she wished her mother were there to advise her. But that was an empty wish that she had been dreaming of for years. She had to figure this out for herself.