Pony Express Mail-Order Bride. Rhonda Gibson

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СКАЧАТЬ The smell of roast and potatoes greeted his hungry belly and it growled its approval.

      Bella came through the kitchen door with a wide grin. Her hair looked a little mussed and her checks red. Was that joy he saw in her eyes? Had she missed him?

      Don’t kid yourself, Phil. Your family is overwhelming and she’s simply happy to see a familiar face, he told himself.

      He stepped around Josephine and Hazel. “Bella, I’d like you to meet my sister in-law, Josephine, and our next-door neighbor Hazel. Ladies, this beautiful young woman is my future wife, Bella.”

      Bella stepped up beside him and grabbed his hand. She held on as if she was drowning.

      Philip looked down at her, puzzled. Her eyes had gone from joy to wariness in the few moments it had taken him to make the introductions. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

      “Oh, we are so happy to meet you,” Josephine said as she offered Bella a quick hug.

      Hazel stood back and eyed the younger woman. She gently pulled Josephine back. “Josie, give the girl some breathing room. She looks like she might just pass out from all this attention.”

      Bella squared her shoulders and smiled tightly. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

      Josephine’s expression said she didn’t understand why there was so much tension in the room. Philip didn’t really understand it, either. What was wrong with Bella?

      She squeezed his hand tighter. “I’m sorry. I guess I should have warned Philip that I’m not very good around a lot of people. The last couple of days have been a little stressful for me. It’s not you. I just...”

      Hazel smiled. “Girl, there is no reason to explain. There’s nothing wrong with you. I don’t care much for crowds myself. That’s why I live on the outskirts instead of in town.”

      “Is that Hazel’s voice I hear out here?” Rebecca asked, coming through the kitchen door. She wiped her hands on her apron and hurried into the room for hugs.

      Philip watched Bella’s face. He noted the tightness around her mouth and the paleness of her skin. Gently he tugged on her hand. In a soft voice he asked, “Would you like to go with me to the barn to check on the boys?”

      “That would be lovely.” She sighed. Relief washed away a little of the tightness on her face.

      The other women were busy catching up as they hugged each other and oohed over new hairstyles and dresses. “If you ladies will excuse us, Bella and I are going to go check on the boys.”

      “You kids go on,” Hazel said, smiling at them with understanding.

      Rebecca called over her shoulder, “Hurry back. Philip, we still need to make sure that your suit will fit.”

      “Ma, I’m not wearing a suit.” Philip propelled Bella from the house.

      Bella giggled. “Do you really think you are going to get out of wearing a suit to your wedding?”

      “Yep. I hate being trussed up in layers of clothes. I’m going to wear my jeans, boots and a new shirt. It’s blue. I got it while we were in Dove Creek.” He winked at her and headed away from the barn and toward the creek.

      “I thought we were going to the barn.”

      “We were, but now that I know she wants me to hurry back, I think I’ll go somewhere else.” Philip grabbed her hand and made a run for the tree line.

      Bella laughed as they cleared the yard. “You are a mess, Philip Young.”

      He slowed down but continued to hold on to her hand. “How were things while I was gone?” Philip realized that he’d taken Bella from the house so fast that she didn’t have time to get her coat. He released her hand, slipped out of his coat and draped it around her shoulders.

      “Thanks.” She snuggled into the warm jacket. “It was all right. I just hadn’t expected there to be so many people about. Your mother invited the whole town to our wedding.”

      Philip wasn’t surprised. “And I’m guessing she plans on using the barn for the ceremony and party afterward?”

      Bella nodded. “People have been arriving to ask what they can bring.”

      He led her to the water’s edge. “Or came to see the new bride.” He kneeled down and picked up a rock. The water was frozen, so his thought of skipping rocks vanished as quickly as it had formed.

      “Maybe. I’ve met more ladies in the last two days than I have in two months.”

      He frowned. “Really?”

      She smiled. “When I say met, I mean spoken to and exchanged names.”

      “Oh.” He tossed the rock across the frozen surface. “I’m sorry about that. We probably should have talked about the wedding more before we arrived.”

      Bella sat down on an old log. “Yeah, I would have preferred a small wedding with just your family present.”

      “I understand. I’m sorry Ma has gone all out.” He stood and walked back to her. “She means well.”

      She nodded. “I know. And after tomorrow this will be behind us.” Bella stood. “We probably should head back.”

      Philip chuckled. “You’re probably right. She’ll send a search party after us if we stay gone much longer.” Even though he laughed, Philip couldn’t help but feel bad that Bella was anticipating the wedding being over. It wasn’t that he wanted the wedding to be special for him. After all, he didn’t even want to get married. But he felt that Bella should have the wedding day she wanted.

      They started walking back to the house. “Have you always been quiet?” Philip asked, tucking his hands deep into his front pockets.

      “I don’t think I’m quiet when I’m with only two or three people, but I suppose I have been.” She looked off into the distance. “That’s one of the reasons I love baking so much.”

      He didn’t understand what baking had to do with being quiet.

      His confusion must have shown on his face, because Bella explained. “When I worked at the bakery, I stayed in the kitchen and baked. Most of the time there were only two people besides me at the bakery and they were up front.” She looked up at him and then continued with a shrug. “My day started early, so going to work there weren’t many people about. Then when I was done, I’d go back to my home and read or sleep.”

      “I see. So you really aren’t used to being around others.” He almost felt sorry for her. Philip liked being with other people and talking, joking and laughing.

      Bella shook her head. “No, until I got the boys, I didn’t have to worry about anyone else and I enjoyed my own company.”

      He pulled his hand from his pocket and grasped hers. “Well, after our wedding we’ll head back to the relay station. Thomas and Josephine are the only two other people that live there.”

      “So, we’ll be living with them?”

      Philip СКАЧАТЬ