A Bride for Ransom Read online

  Then, too, there was the fact that he was open to her having children. Not that she did, really. She had the responsibility for her siblings. And they would always be a part of her life. So, it was the final reason she had accepted Fred’s offer of marrying her by proxy to this Mr. Delaney. If he were willing to accept her siblings, she would happily accept his niece.

  It was still certainly strange that she had not yet met the man she was married to. She listened absently to Brent and Maryanne chattering away about the scenery, allowing her gaze to remain unfixed out the window, hoping the children would think she was following their conversation, when in reality she was trying to imagine what her new husband was going to be like. She had surmised from his letter that he was kind and intelligent. And the fact that he was childhood friends with Fred told her he must be of an age with Fred. Hannah hadn’t asked, but she would guess late twenties considering he had been out West for eight years after leaving university after two years. Since she, herself, was not yet twenty-one, it was a little old for her on one hand, but she would be grateful for his experience since she had so very little.

  That was now her one of her biggest concerns. She knew how to run a household staffed with employed people. But she would have to learn to do things for herself. She strongly doubted there were many housemaids for hire in the West. And if she asked for a butler, she’d probably be laughed out of town. At least she was confident in her ability to keep them well-fed. She had been allowed to spend time in the kitchens since she was a small child and had managed to pick up many of her family’s cook’s tips and tricks. And, too, once she knew what she was about to do, she had spent an entire day in the kitchen picking the staff’s minds to make sure she knew as much as she possibly could.

  But that was the extent of her knowledge. She was reasonably sure she would be able to keep a house clean. Surely that wouldn’t be difficult. Doing the laundry might be an issue, though. Marilla, the housekeeper, had tried to explain everything to her, but it had all run together in a blur. Hannah had asked Marilla to write it all down for her, but she hadn’t even had a minute to review the notes, so she wasn’t sure if they would do her any good or not. Perhaps Mr. Delaney knew how to do laundry.

  And then there were the animals. Fred had explained that Mr. Delaney would most likely have a farm. So, she might be expected to milk cows or goats. And she would also probably be expected to assist in growing things like vegetables. Of course, she could get the children to help, but it all sounded like a great deal of work. She would like to think she was capable of working hard, but she had never really been tested in that regard before. The closest she had ever come to working was when she had been organizing the charity ball last spring. And she had so much help for that. And it was really merely a matter of making lists and delegating. She rather suspected there wouldn’t be anyone she could delegate many of her tasks to once the children were in school. But at least, if they were in school, there would be no audience to witness her triumphs or failures. Except her new husband.

  That was the challenge. She would be expected to spend time with the man. There would probably be intimacies expected. With a stranger. Hannah’s queasy stomach, which had settled nicely with the tea, returned with a vengeance, and she had to breathe steadily through her nose to prevent herself from becoming sick. It was clearly time for a change of subject.

  “Has anyone checked which will be our first stop and how long that stop might be?”

  Both of the children blinked at her, surprised by her sudden turn of the subject.

  “You weren’t paying at all attention, were you?” Brent accused. “We were talking about that ten minutes ago.”

  “You were?” Hannah was horrified. She thought she had kept at least half her ear trained on their conversation. She felt heat flooding her face, and she was contrite. “I’m truly sorry, Brent. I’ve already had a long day and I think the tiredness is getting to my brain.”

  Her brother didn’t look fully convinced but he was somewhat mollified. Luckily, at that moment, their meal finally arrived and the moment passed as everyone tucked into the surprisingly delicious smelling food.

  Hannah wouldn’t have thought she would be able to stomach anything given the circular motion of her thoughts and the upheaval in her midsection, but since she had ordered a rather bland meal, she was able to eat most of it. She hadn’t been lying to her brother. She had already lived through a very long day. She had been up before the sunrise, overseeing the final packing, before she had returned to the lawyer’s office to present them with her signed marriage certificate. Now with her stomach filling, she would happily sleep for a week. Of course, with her new responsibilities toward the children, she wouldn’t be able to sleep so long, but she would claim as much sleep as she possibly could.

  Thankfully the rest of the meal passed without incident. By the time everyone was fed, Brent was no longer holding a grudge toward his sister and peace reigned as they settled into their room for the night.

  They settled into a routine over the next week. Their stops in different cities weren’t exceptionally long, but Hannah did allow the children to get off and explore as long as they remained within her sight. Hannah hadn’t cared much for the appearance of some of the locations, fearing for their safety. She was grateful for her foresight in wearing older, less fashionable clothing. Passing the three of them off as a mother with her two children caused them to attract far less attention, and they managed to make it all the way to their destination without being robbed or accosted. A fact for which she would be eternally grateful. No one ever really asked if she was the children’s mother, but in her mind, that’s what Hannah was portraying. Either way, they travelled undisturbed, a fact for which she was eternally grateful.

  Hannah hadn’t realized that she had been quite so protected all her life but on the third day of their trip she realized suddenly that this was the first time she had ventured from her home without a maid or steward in tow. That she was the one needing to offer protection rather than receive it was a disconcerting thought for her. She was grateful that she hadn’t been called upon to provide any actual protection to the children other than with her presence. While her father had insisted that she be taught a few tricks for her own preservation when she had turned fourteen, Hannah wasn’t certain if she would remember any of them if she were actually faced with a situation warranting them.

  Finally, the last day of their journey dawned brightly. As the three occupants of their small train car began to stir, there was a definite air of excitement combined with trepidation, despite the silence. Or so it seemed to Hannah, anyway, but she might have been projecting her own thoughts onto the children, she realized as her eyes refused to remain closed. They had changed trains at one point on the fifth day, onto a different train company, heading a little bit more in a northerly direction. And they would arrive at their last stop mid-afternoon, if the steward were accurate in his prediction.

  They had been fortunate on this journey. There had been no difficulties of a technical nature. The tracks held up under them, the engines chugged along; there were no breakdowns, or inordinate delays. Hannah’s days of limbo were just about over. Her stomach clenched. She would indeed be someone’s wife as soon as she stepped off the train this afternoon. She would be Hannah Delaney. Well, maybe Hannah Bowman Delaney. She had no intention of separating herself from Brent and Maryanne. While she had to acknowledge her husband’s contribution to their safety, and his position in her life, by taking his name, she wasn’t going to leave off her history. Surely, he would understand that. He was from Boston after all. It wasn’t uncommon for a wife to just tack her husband’s name on at the end instead of replacing her previous last name completely. With a brisk nod, she felt more settled in her heart. She wasn’t ready to give up her family, even if she had committed herself to another one. She would just have to accommodate both.

  Since they hadn’t fully unpacked, there was little to do to get ready for the end
of their journey. After Hannah had overseen both children’s dress and grooming, they were ready for the day. Hannah couldn’t bear their restlessness so she allowed them to venture out on their own.

  “Do not allow Maryanne out of your sight, Brent. Promise me.”

  With a long-suffering sigh, Brent agreed.

  “And swear to me you will not leave the train at any of the stops.”

  “Hannah, you’re worse than our nursemaid.”

  “I don’t care. I love you more than your nursemaid ever did. I worry because I care. Now promise me.”

  Maryanne giggled over her older sister’s words and quickly agreed. With another heavy sigh, Brent finally agreed, too. “Fine, Hannah, we won’t leave the train without you.” He perked up. “But maybe you could hurry up and be ready and we could leave together.”

  “I need to make sure all our things are ready for when it’s our stop. Don’t press your luck. Be grateful I’m allowing you out of my sight.”

  Brent glared at her, and she relented.

  “Very well. I will try to be quick, but I’m not certain when the next stop is. If I’m not ready, I have your word that you will remain aboard.”

  “Fine, yes, you have our word.”

  The two scampered off, and Hannah sank back down onto the bed. While, in a certain way, the travel had been restful, trying to keep up with the two children had been exhausting mentally. She was nervous about the new life she was embarking on, but she was relieved that their travels were coming to an end. Surely, on a farm there would be plenty to keep the children occupied and entertained. And she would get them enrolled in the school as soon as possible as well.

  So, she just had to keep it all together until September. With a dry laugh, Hannah rolled her eyes at herself. She shouldn’t be wishing her life away.

  It felt like the blink of an eye, but the day was passed and they arrived at their stop. Brent and Maryanne had finally caught her nerves and were silently holding her hands as they waited to step down to the platform. Hannah suspected Brent didn’t even realize he was doing it because she was certain he wouldn’t hold her hand on purpose. The thought made her smile, and she loved him for it.

  Looking out over the crowds, Hannah wondered which gentleman was theirs. It seemed there was an inordinate number of men. Not that she had spent much time around the train station in Boston or any of the other cities they had stopped at on the way West, but now that she was standing here, she realized that the further west they had travelled, the higher the ratio of men to women. Now here they were, and she felt decidedly outnumbered.

  “Mrs. Delaney?” A deep voice spoke from just behind Maryanne, making the little girl jump and Hannah tighten her hands convulsively. She actually liked the sound of the man’s voice, but she had been startled by his nearness. And the unfamiliar name didn’t settle her nerves any, either.

  Not sure exactly how to respond, she merely smiled and, letting go of Brent’s hand, she offered hers to the man to shake. “How do you do?” she asked politely.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he answered, his wide-set eyes seeming to take in everything as his gaze swept her from the brim of her hat to the soles of her shoes before bouncing over to examine both Maryanne and Brent. “And this must be Brent and Maryanne,” he commented. “My name’s Ransom. I’m pleased to meet you.”

  Both of Hannah’s siblings remained silent but they seemed to be pleased by the fact that he reached out to shake each of their hands in turn. Brent, always sensitive about his advancing years, was gratified to have a man treat him as more than a child. Maryanne had always been shy, so Hannah wasn’t surprised that the child had nothing to say.

  “Is your niece with you?”

  “Francine wouldn’t let me come without her. She’s so excited to meet the three of you. But she didn’t want to be trampled in the crowd, so she’s sitting just behind us in the wagon. I’ll just give the porters a hand with your luggage and we can be on our way.”

  Hannah blinked with surprise as he strode away. She had finally met her husband of one week but was still trying to assimilate her first impression of him. He seemed intelligent and articulate, just as she had surmised from his letter. He was clean, a fact for which she was grateful. That had been one of her deepest fears after encountering a few less savory characters on the train as they had travelled. And he had all his teeth, which was a surprise. Even in Boston, a loss of teeth was a common occurrence.

  She had to smile at her own musings. Her mind was tripping around to every subject except to the very first impression she had gained when her eyes encountered his after he startled her with his greeting. He was dreadfully handsome. It was a trifle off-putting. She hadn’t expected that. Hannah had rarely set eyes on anyone so good looking. Even the best-dressed gentlemen of fashion in the city didn’t hold a candle to her husband, and he wasn’t wearing anything of note. Imagine him in a suit, she thought with a shiver. She felt tongue-tied and gauche being so travel worn and weary. But she refused to be cowed by something so superficial as her husband’s handsomeness. Hannah lifted her chin, held tight to Maryanne’s hand, and strode forward in the direction Ransom had indicated when he gestured toward his niece.

  Brent had followed Ransom. Hannah wished she had admonished her husband to keep an eye on the boy, but she hadn’t wanted to embarrass her brother in front of their new acquaintance. She would have to trust the man would realize his responsibility toward the youngster. Hannah refused to crane her head to keep watch on them.

  “Hello there. Are you Francine?” Hannah greeted the small child, marveling that Ransom would leave the pretty little girl by herself. That thought made her want to dash off in search of Brent, but she quelled the impulse. The little sprite was nodding vigorously. Hannah had to stand on her toes to make proper eye contact with the child in the wagon.

  “My name’s Hannah, and this is my sister Maryanne. Has your uncle told you about us?”

  The child leaned down and threw her arms around Hannah in response. “He said you’re going to be my new mama.”

  Hannah was shocked. She hadn’t expected that. She certainly didn’t feel qualified or old enough to be someone’s mother, even if that was the role she was going to have to fill. The child looked to be about five or six years old. Hannah was surprised the little girl would be willing to accept a new mother if she had only recently lost her own.

  “Are you all getting acquainted?” the handsome man asked with a joviality that sounded a little forced.

  “We are,” she replied with a thin smile, hating the awkwardness of the moment. But really, what could be more awkward than being married to a total stranger?

  The bustle of necessary activity smoothed over the moment and they were soon on their way.

  “I had thought we had packed lightly, but it’s a good thing you brought such a large wagon,” Hannah finally commented once the silence had started to spread.

  “I actually thought you would have more things. I was expecting to have to tie things down as they’d be heaping over the sides.”

  Hannah laughed. “I didn’t want to be too burdened on the trip. More things will be sent to us soon.”

  Ransom nodded.

  “Do you live very far from the train station?” Hannah asked. “You didn’t say very much about where you live in your letter.”

  “We live just outside of a comfortable town about an hour from here. It has everything we might need, but we can easily get to this city, or travel further on the train. It’s quite a perfect location, in my opinion. I hope you’ll agree.”

  Hannah smiled. “It sounds like a good spot. I’ve always lived in Boston, so I’ll be glad not to be too isolated. I had tried not to have too high expectations, so I’ll be pleased with your home.”

  “It’s your home now, too,” he chided her.

  She nodded but turned her attention, uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

  “You mentioned your niece goes to the local
school. She seems quite young to already be in school.”

  “She just turned six. It’s the summer break right now, but she started going a couple months before the school ended for summer. It gave her something to do and gave me a break. We weren’t used to each other. I think it helped.”

  “Poor little thing. Losing both her parents suddenly when she was so young.”

  “You can empathize with her, given your circumstances.” His warm gaze showed his sympathy.

  “True, but at least I’m an adult. Even Maryanne and Brent are twice her age. And they have each other.” She paused for a moment as her heart went out to the little girl. “Had you visited her often when she was growing up?”

  “No, I was virtually a stranger to the poor little tyke. But we’re getting along just fine now.”

  Hannah glanced behind at the children, a little uncomfortable to be discussing them within their earshot. She was relieved the youngsters seemed absorbed in their own conversations

  “When does the school year resume?” Hannah turned the subject again. Her nerves were getting to her.

  “In two weeks.”

  “That’s fortunate timing for us, then. Just enough time to get settled and then they can all start together.”

  “Will you want to send your brother away to a better school?”

  Hannah was horrified at the thought but realized she ought to question his words before reacting. “Is the school truly dreadful? I thought you said in your letter that it was quite good.”

  “It’s not dreadful at all. But not everyone appreciates a one room school house when they’ve lived in a big city.”

  “We’ll have to see how it goes, I suppose. But no, at this point, I would hate to send him away. I realize that eventually he will need to get a more extensive education than can be offered in a country school, but we need to stay together for at least a few more years.”

  “You sound remarkably fierce on the subject,” he observed, a chuckle sounding in his voice.