A Mail Order Bride for the Sheriff: Mary Ann & Warren (Love by Mail 4) Read online

  “Unless you don’t fear the Lord,” Warren said. “Don’t worry about it.”

  Don’t worry about it? Laurence Ashton lost all his money to his luxuries, before his uncle’s will saved him from destitution.

  “Warren,” she began, “shouldn’t a more modest celebration be better - ?”

  He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulders.

  “This is our wedding we’re talking about. A once in a lifetime affair.” He took her hand and kissed it. “ I want it to be special.”

  A thrill galloped down her spine.

  “Could you also reserve your charms for after the wedding?” a voice hollered from somewhere behind them.

  Warren grimaced, and dropped Mary Ann’s hand, giving her time to recover from the warm sting of his touch. She looked over her shoulder, both relieved and disappointed at the interruption.

  Warren ran his fingers through his hair and let out a nervous chuckle. “Sorry, Claire!”

  From under a beech tree, Claire Shepard smirked at them, and folded her arms. “I’ve got eyes like a hawk, Sheriff.”

  Warren rolled his eyes. “‘Course you do.”

  Maybe he was just trying to compensate for being a new sheriff. Or maybe he was trying to impress her. If he was, he’d be in for a shock.

  “About the wedding,” she pressed.

  “Don’t worry your pretty little head over it,” Warren said, turning back towards the setting sun. “I’ve got it covered.”

  * * *

  The wedding couldn’t have gone better than planned. The mayor was there. Even his friends from other towns came. The women, wives of politicians and wealthy merchants, milled about in bright laced dresses, with gems in their hair. Warren grinned. His wife was prettier than all of them.

  “It’s a beautiful party,” a young woman who looked like Mary Ann gushed at him. “My sister couldn’t have married a better man!”

  Warren beamed at the praise, and looked up as Mary Ann’s father approached, chuckling, and holding his flat stomach. Warren eyed it enviously. Even with silver hair, and some wrinkles, Mr. Victor Crosby still had that lean and tanned look of an honest, hard-working outdoorsman.

  “Mary Ann had a lot of decent suitors,” the older man said, pumping Warren’s hand, “but none of them ever seemed right for her. But a sheriff...”

  He grinned knowingly at Warren, who made sure everyone caught the gleam of his badge.

  “Don’t let her intimidate you, though,” a broad-shouldered man said, barreling through the guests to reach Warren. “She’s a free-spirit, even if she can seem a bit shy at first.”

  “That she is, Dennis.” Warren congratulated himself on remembering the eldest Crosby sibling’s name. A large hand landed on his arm and he turned around. “Ah, Mayor Heathrow!”

  A bald-headed man in a white coat and felt hat approached them. “Call me, Bill, Sheriff.”

  “And you can just call me Warren.” First name basis already! “Well, Bill, meet my wife’s side of the family. This here’s Dennis Crosby, Mary Ann’s older brother.” The mayor and Dennis shook hands. “This young lady is Elaine.” She curtsied. “And this is Victor Crosby, my father-in-law.”

  The two men shook hands and began talking about horses and politics. Warren looked on making sure he laughed at the right times, when a warm hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to see his wife.

  When he first met Mary Ann, she was dressed in a plain skirt and a white blouse. But Joy sure found the best dress for the wedding. The yellow petticoat with golden laces brought out Mary Ann’s dark brown eyes, and made the dark blonde hair, piled atop her head in loose braids with sparkly pins, shine.

  Mary Ann blushed giggled. “I think you dropped your jaw, husband.”

  Warren’s face reddened. He coughed into his fist. “Uh, sorry. Anyway, have you met the mayor and his wife?”

  Mary Ann nodded.

  “She asked about the incident with the horse. She seemed really impressed and I think she wants to learn how to ride herself.”

  “Oh? Can’t imagine.” The woman wouldn’t even touch a doorknob, let alone a saddle.

  “Anyway, I wanted to ask about...” Mary Ann looked around. “I was kinda hoping to meet your family.”

  Warren finished his glass and placed it on a table.

  “I forgot to tell you. My old man couldn’t make it.” Probably holed up somewhere nursing a filthy hangover. What he really neglected to mention was that he had never sent the letter. He invited some other members of his family, but his cousins couldn’t be bothered to come. Warren stayed his tongue. He didn’t want anyone to pity him. Especially Mary Ann.

  “Oh.” Mary Ann bit her lip, and looked up. “I just wanted to thank you for the wedding preparation. I mean, you were the one who handled all this...”

  He touched her hand. “It’s fine. Like I said, it’s our wedding. I wanted it to be something you would look back on with a smile.”

  Mary Ann squeezed his hand and smiled back.

  “Hey, Sheriff!” A large hand thumped him on the back.

  Warren turned around to greet some men he knew from back home. Unlike his family, his friends didn’t let him down. He smiled and introduced them to his wife. Warren reveled in their praise and attention. Before he met his wife he was worried Mary Ann wouldn’t live up to his expectations. He was wrong.

  Chapter 4

  Mary Ann wiped the sweat off her brow with a white towel. She huffed and leaned back against the fence. She had cleaned the house and had ridden Thunderbolt around their yard a few times. She was grateful for the open space, but the lack of flowers and vegetables made her itch for more work to do.

  Warren had wanted to hire a help, but when Mary Ann saw the wide open backyard rolling uphill and the front yard with the rich soil just begging to be planted, she swayed his mind. This was her home, her land to nurture until it bore fruit.

  Mary Ann liked the peace and quiet. A shame they didn’t spend more time together enjoying it. She longed to get to know her husband better, but he was always so busy. He rushed to the station every morning saying he needed to keep tabs on the rumors about bandits. But should he really be so worried with gossip? It was the town’s ladies who seemed to talk about the outlaws the most.

  She tied Thunderbolt near the fence, stroked him a few times and fed him a carrot, before going inside the house. There she rolled up her sleeves and poured herself a cold glass of water.

  A knock on the door nearly made her jump.

  “Hello? Anybody home?” a voice called out.

  Hannah.

  “Come in, come in.” Mary Ann greeted the woman with a smile.

  Hannah stepped inside and motioned for another woman to follow her.

  “You haven’t met Sarah yet, have you?” she asked.

  The dark-haired woman brushed her long curls away from her eyes for a moment revealing scars on the left side of her face. Mary glanced at the marks, then blushed, when her eyes met with Sarah’s.

  “Oh, I...”

  “That’s all right, everyone’s always curious about it,” Sarah extended a hand and flashed a bright smile. “It doesn’t hurt and it’s not contagious, in case you wondered. I’m Sarah Welton, by the way.”

  “Mary Ann Turner.” Mary Ann took Sarah’s hand, relieved that the other woman wasn’t offended. In fact she was impressed that Sarah was able to joke about it so casually.

  She led her guests inside. One look at the dusty furniture made her regret she didn’t start her morning cleaning with the table and chairs. She also had no snacks to offer. Would the bread she baked this morning do?

  “Please, sit down. I’ll get you something...”

  “Oh, no need to trouble yourself” Hannah waved her hand. “We just came to see how you’re settling in.”

  “I’m the town medic,” Sarah said, obviously proud of her position. “If you need any help, you can always come and see me.”

  “Oh, thank you for your concern.” Mary Ann smiled
and gestured to the bare living room. “I’m doing fine. I’m happy with my little garden and great views from the windows. Besides I’ve got Thunderbolt to keep me company when Warren is out.”

  Hannah nodded. “That’s good to hear. I was the first mail order bride in town, and things were a bit awkward back then. I didn’t have many friends till Mercy came to Angel Creek. Since then we’ve made sure any new arrivals get a warm welcome and feel included in our little community.”

  “Exactly. So don’t be afraid to reach out to us and ask if there’s anything you need,” Sarah said.

  “To tell you the truth, Mary Ann,” Hannah said, leaning forward, “your husband was worried about you.”

  Warren talked to them? Mary Ann’s eyes widened.

  “Worried? About me? But I’m fine. I can take care of myself.” She chuckled, a warm feeling curling in her stomach. It was nice to know Warren cared, but the concern was misplaced. He didn’t have cause to worry.

  “Of course you can,” Sarah said, grinning. “We heard all about the incident with the horse.”

  “But life can still be tough for someone new all the way out West,” Hannah said. “It can get lonely without your family, and with your husband off at work. You can come with us to the stores or for tea at Joy’s.”

  Mary Ann’s face fell. She remembered the fashion talk. It was amusing, but not something she wanted to make a regular occurrence. The horse, the house, and the yard needed her.

  “Oh, it’s really all right, girls. I like it here, and I have so much to do. Oh! Would you like some bread?”

  She hurried to get plates for her guests. It wasn’t much, but she certainly didn’t want people to say the sheriff’s wife was an inhospitable cheapskate.

  “Oh, this is delicious!” Sarah spread some more butter on her slice.

  “You have lovely curls.” Hannah swallowed her bite and eyed Mary Ann’s hair. “Would you like me to style them?”

  Mary Ann touched her hair. “Well, I...”

  Hannah grabbed a stool from the corner and gestured for Mary Ann to sit down.

  “C’mon, it’ll be fun!”

  Mary Ann sat down, not entirely convinced it was a good idea. She’d seen Mrs. Heathrow’s hair, piled high on her head like a tower. Mary Ann certainly didn’t want to look like a walking mountaintop.

  “This is what I used to do to my hair before I cut it short. Before I came to Angel Creek.” Hannah parted Mary Ann’s hair, her skilled fingers separated her locks. It was like getting a gentle head massage. Maybe it won’t be that bad…

  “So,” Sarah began, “if you don’t mind me asking, Mary Ann, what made you decide to, uh, I don’t know how to put this...”

  “Answer an ad?” Mary Ann closed her eyes, leaning into Hannah’s fingers running through her hair.

  “Yeah.” Sarah nodded. “I was from Louisiana. All of my siblings had their families, and well… I wanted to have one of my own, too.”

  “I’m from Indiana, with two brothers and two sisters. It was getting crowded on the ranch with my brother engaged and my sister’s suitors. And all the expectations!” Mary Ann grinned and cracked open an eye. “I wanted to be somewhere I can just be myself.”

  “And what kind of self would that be?” Hannah asked.

  “Just be close to nature, admire our Lord’s creation. Work the land, and…” Mary Ann smiled. “Ride horses.”

  “I guess we all need that,” Hannah said, pinning up Mary Ann’s braids, “to go somewhere we can feel... free or freer anyway. I’m glad I met my husband, Jeremiah, even if it wasn’t, uh, conventional or traditional.”

  Sarah nodded.

  “There you go. Here, see if you like it.” Hannah handed Mary Ann a small circular mirror. She smiled at her reflection.

  “Oh, and I’ve got a gift for you, too.”

  Mary Ann turned around and stopped her hand. “No, Hannah. This is enough. Honestly!”

  But Hannah wagged a finger. “I bought a couple of new things over at the next town and the old lady at the store gave me an extra bonnet, which I’m going to give to you for good luck.” She took out the folded piece and gave it to Mary Ann.

  Mary Ann hesitated, but eventually wrapped her fingers around the soft material. This was such an odd little town, with everyone so friendly and nice, she thought glancing down at the simple, white bonnet in her hand. She had received more gaudy ones from suitors before, but never one from a friend. Mary Ann gripped Hannah’s hand. “Thank you.”

  Hannah squeezed back and smiled.

  “Oh, I think we’d better get going,” Sarah said, standing up. “It’s almost noon and I have to make my rounds. Tinctures and check-ups, you know.”

  “I better get back home, too,” Hannah said. “Are you sure you won’t come with us? There’s been some more talk about the bandits. Joy and the others might have heard tell of something more.”

  “I heard the ones that had been caught recently had escaped,” Sarah added.

  Mary Ann shook her head. “I’ve still got some chores to do here.”

  As much as she liked the women of Angel Creek, she didn’t want to spend her time gossiping.

  They said their goodbyes and left. The house fell quiet again. Mary Ann preferred it that way.

  * * *

  Warren arrived home a little later than sundown. He wearily took off his hat and Mary Ann could see the vein ticking on his forehead. Maybe there was trouble in town?

  “You seem tired,” she said, handing him a glass of water, which he downed in one go. “Dinner’s ready.”

  Warren silently went to the table. After a few moments of the audible clanking of utensils, he said, “Hannah said she and Sarah came by the house today.”

  “They did,” Mary Ann said and smiled. Finally, Warren seemed interested in talking.

  “Hannah said she asked you to come with them to town. To mingle with the people…” He finished his meal and pushed the plate away.

  Mary Ann nodded and finished hers. “She did, but the house needed work. I wanted to do my chores-”

  “What chores?”

  He had asked it so bluntly that Mary Ann paused from drinking her water. “I cleaned the house and looked after Thunderbolt.”

  “And you couldn’t spare a few minutes to make friends with others?”

  Mary Ann put down her glass. “I have made friends… with Hannah, Mercy…”

  “Only because they came to you.” He gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched.

  Mary Ann gaped. “Are you – are you angry at me for not going with them to town?”

  “I’m not –” he pursed his lips, then said, “I’m just disappointed that you don’t seem to be making an effort to – to fit in – to reach out to the rest of the town.”

  “You’re disappointed?” Mary Ann echoed.

  “Do you know that people are asking after you?” He stood up, shaking his head. “They’re asking me why my wife rarely shows her face in town. Why you don’t go outside to buy dresses, and shoes, and-”

  “I have everything I need right here,” Mary Ann said, fist tightening around her cup.

  “And did you know about the bandits’ escape?”

  Mary Ann’s brows furrowed. “I think Hannah mentioned it…”

  Warren pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m the sheriff, Mary Ann. You didn’t think that was something the sheriff’s wife should be interested in?”

  He begun pacing around the room.

  “I heard the news from Mr. Dubson and from Hank Briggs, who wondered why I hadn’t heard it from you – why you didn’t come to the station to tell me.”

  He turned to her with a frown.

  “It’s bad enough that you don’t mingle with the mayor’s wife or her circle.”

  Mary Ann gasped and stood up.

  “Bad enough? What’s so important about them, please tell me because there’s obviously something you expect of me that I’m missing here.”

  “It’s important!” He grunted
back at her. “You’re my wife, you represent us both. And if there’s any relevant gossip in town I should be getting it from you, not strangers!”

  Mary Ann blushed.

  “Yes, I’m your wife. But you knew I wasn’t into gossip and parties when we met. Do I not fulfil my duties, do I not follow the Good Book in all I do for us?”

  He didn’t answer for a moment.

  “It’s not that…” He ran his hand through his hair and the anger was gone from his eyes replaced with sadness. “Mary Ann, they didn’t respect me before you came, and they don’t respect me now. Without your help… if you don’t make an effort…”

  He slumped in the chair.

  Maybe she did let her emotions get the better of her. Maybe he was right. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. She remembered the words and blushed at her impatience with Warren. She took a deep breath and approached him.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t go with Hannah. I realize now that… that I should’ve been more concerned. I thought they were just silly rumors and you wouldn’t want anyone to pay attention to them.”

  Warren sighed as she touched his arm. He squeezed her hand.

  “I’m sorry I raised my voice. You’re still new in town, in the West even and… you’re still settling in. I guess I should have told you that a sheriff’s job relies not just on the official news, but the gossip, the rumors spreading through town. The bandits don’t exactly advertise their whereabouts to law keepers…”

  Mary Ann smiled. It was just a small misunderstanding, after all.

  “I’ll do my best to make more friends, to learn more about what’s going on in town…”

  “With the mayor’s wife and her friends, especially.” Warren looked up at her.

  And there it was again, his obsession with the upper class. She barely held in a sigh.

  “And you should wear brighter dresses, maybe something with lace and frills too.”

  She gaped at her husband, who was apparently now a fashion expert. She knew some people paid attention to such things more than others, but… She couldn’t get the memory of Laurence out of her mind whenever the discussion turned to such petty things. Warren didn’t seem to notice her consternation and just rattled on.