Mail Order Ruse (Kansas Brides Series #3) Read online

  “I’ll stay on one condition,” she said. “I’d like for you to get counseling from the Reverend and start going to church.”

  Chase rolled his eyes and sighed. “You drive a hard bargain.”

  Chapter 12

  Chase mentally sifted through his options. The last thing he wanted was to be counseled by Reverend Flannery. He knew the drill: get over your wife and start living again. Does everyone think it’s that simple? He also held somewhat of a grudge that God would allow three of the most wonderful women to be killed the way they were. It just didn’t make any sense.

  So now he had a choice. If he wanted Grace to stay, he would have to let Flannery preach to him and to go to church. He supposed he could sit through church without it bothering him, but not the talks with Flannery‒it would only serve to dredge up the past and make him feel worse.

  Then he thought of the perfect solution.

  “I have a counter-offer to make,” he said. “You said it would be awkward to stay with my family since you were no longer betrothed to my father, right?”

  She nodded. “It was the only reason I was there.”

  “Will you marry me?” he said.

  “What?” she asked. “This isn’t a time for jokes, Chase.”

  “I’m very serious. If you’re betrothed to me, you’d have every right to be living with us and we can get to know each other,” he said.

  “So where does this ruse of yours end?” she asked.

  “When we marry,” he said, and reached for her hand.

  “Chase, you know you aren’t ready.”

  “I agree. I’m not. But by the time we exchange vows, I will be.”

  “I think we should continue to the train depot, Chase.”

  He still held her hand. He brought it to his mouth, and kissed her palm. “Are you sure?”

  Grace nodded.

  He dropped her hand, picked up the reins, and brought the buggy back on the road to town.

  Grace did a great deal of contemplation while they rode to town. He’d proposed to her, she loved him, so why hadn’t she accepted? Probably because it didn’t seem like a real proposal, and he was just thinking of ways to keep her from leaving. But why? Maybe he did care for her, otherwise, he wouldn’t mind if she left. She was usually pretty good at judging people and Chase seemed like a straight-shooter. If she’d accepted his proposal, would he come to love her? She thought she’d felt his love when he was kissing her, but when he'd called her Mary, she doubted the energy behind the kiss was for her.

  She really didn’t want to go back to Maryland, as there wasn’t anything there for her anymore. The Eastons were as close as she’d ever come to having a family, and she loved it there.

  “Chase,” she said over the clip-clop of the horse‒for some reason he was trotting slowly. When he looked at her, she said, “I think we need to talk some more.”

  He looked around, saw a spot off the road a little ways, steered the horse in that direction, stopped, and threw down the reins. He turned to her.

  “Can we walk a bit? We seem to accomplish more when we talk and walk,” she suggested.

  He jumped down and walked over to her side of the buggy. Instead of helping her down by taking her hand, he gently lifted her off the seat by her waist, and put her on the ground near him. So near to him, that the skin on the back of her neck tingled. She turned and walked away, and he followed her.

  “Why do you want me to stay?” Grace asked, pointedly.

  “Honestly? I could lie to you and say it's because I’m in love with you, but I’m not sure if that’s the case yet.”

  Now Grace wished she hadn’t asked‒it wasn’t the answer she’d hoped for.

  “You see, I feel something, but I’m not sure exactly what that is. I have a strong feeling you're the only person who can bring me back to life, so to speak. I love being with you, I love kissing you, and holding you, but I also like who you are. I think, given a bit of time, I’d be surer of my feelings,” he said.

  “Now you sound like your father.”

  “Everyone thinks it’s easy to forget someone you have loved deeply and move on to another woman, but it isn’t easy at all. I feel guilt. I feel clumsy at romance—it’s been so long, and I make mistakes, like call you by her name.”

  “Was that last kiss‒the one with the emotion‒was it for me or for Mary?”

  “I’m not going to lie to you,” he said. “I knew it was you, but for a second, when I pulled you too close, I think I might have imagined it was Mary and we were still married. I would never have held you that closely otherwise.”

  Grace stopped by an old oak tree and leaned against it. “I appreciate your honesty.”

  “I have no reason to lie. We are both looking for the same thing, a good, solid relationship with trust.”

  Chase fell to his knees in front of her. “Will you marry me when we figure everything out?”

  “Do you think you'll ever be able to love again?” she asked.

  “I’d like the opportunity to try. I’m just not setting a date until I know for sure that it’s love that I feel. Marriage is for keeps. I owe that much to you and Chloe, to be sure.”

  “Yes. I’ll stay as your betrothed.”

  “Wait,” Chase said as he stood, “I have a question for you.”

  “All right,” she said.

  “Do you think you could fall in love with me?”

  She wasn’t about to tell him that she was already in love with him, but she didn’t want to discourage him either. “I’m almost positive that I could.”

  “Do I still have to talk with Flannery and go to church?”

  “I think you do. This will be the best thing for you, Chase. I can’t marry a man who doesn’t go to church. Your church is strange, at least, it is to me, but it’s God’s house, and it’s the best there is here.”

  “What do you mean my church is strange?”

  “I grew up in a formal, staunch, ritualistic church. It’s very different, but not so different because God resides in both,” she said.

  “Should we shake on this commitment, or something?” Chase said.

  Grace put her arms around his neck. “Or something.”

  Chase didn’t need any more of an invitation. He took her into his arms and kissed her, again and again. He stroked her neck and her cheeks, and then he hugged her tightly.

  “I’m a happy man. Thank you, Grace.”

  Chase and Grace walked from the buggy to the house, hand in hand, and into the kitchen where Olive was stirring a pot on the stove. She turned and simply stared at them, before she broke out in an enormous smile.

  “I hope this means you’re staying, Grace,” Olive said as she wiped her hands on her apron.

  “It does, Olive.” Grace held their joined hands up. “We’re betrothed.”

  “Praise the Lord!” Olive walked over and gave Grace a hug, followed by a squeeze for Chase. She pinched his cheek and told him, “Smart move, Chase.”

  “What’s this?” Graham said as he walked into the room.

  Grace immediately dropped Chase’s hand, as she felt guilty. Breaking one betrothal and becoming betrothed again to another all in the same day was enough to make her feel self-conscious.

  Chase picked her hand up with a frown. He patted it with his other hand. “We’re betrothed.”

  Graham’s mouth dropped open and he didn’t speak for so long, Grace grew nervous.

  “Congratulations!” He came around, hugged Grace loosely, and then shook his son’s hand and slapped his back. “I couldn’t be happier.”

  “I bet you are,” Chase said, “since you plotted the whole thing.”

  Graham exchanged a weary look with Olive. “We needed to bring you back to the world of the living, son. You’re too young to spend your days in the cemetery crying over something beyond your control. I had to do something.”

  Grace turned to Graham, “You used me. What would have happened to me had your plan not worked and Chase and
I hadn’t—”She looked over at Chase, and was reminded of their present status. “If we hadn’t been fond of each other?”

  “I would have taken care of you, I told you that at the start.” He turned to the door. “I want you both to come with me.”

  Graham stuck his head into the stable. “Harvey, get the carriage ready.”

  Grace and Chase stood there exchanging puzzled looks.

  “I’m going to show you that I wasn’t simply using you, Grace. I would never do something like that, especially to a…well, that’s enough information for now.”

  “There’s more?” Chase said.

  “Perhaps.”

  Chapter 13

  Harvey brought the carriage out, Chase helped Grace aboard, and they both settled into the backseat of the open carriage.

  Graham sat in the driver’s seat, and Harvey handed him the reins. He signaled the two horses with a light touch of the whip and they started off, but not on the road, as Grace had thought. He led the horses through the field behind the barn, and they rode quite a distance before he pulled around a small copse of trees.

  Sitting upon a small hill that looked to be man-made stood a newly-built log cabin. The smell of freshly cut lumber drifted in the air around them. A wide path ran from the house to the road, parallel to the one the Eastons’ house was on.

  Graham stopped the carriage near the cabin and jumped down. He assisted Grace in turn, and Chase followed.

  “What is this?” Chase asked. “Is this still our property?”

  “Yes, it’s at the very end of our property and was going to be Grace’s house if things had gone wrong, but now you can use it as a summer house or a guest house, I suppose,” Graham said.

  He led them to the cabin. Large cobbled rocks had been pressed into the hill, giving the cabin a regal appearance. The steps going up to the cabin were also of large, flat stones pressed onto dirt steps. When they reached the top, they walked across a small, front porch, with a roof overhead, supported by wooden beams. Graham unlocked and opened the front door and they walked into a completely furnished home.

  Grace gasped. “This is lovely.” They walked from room to room.

  “This is all brand new furniture and was to be yours if things didn’t work out. I let Chase take you to town to buy your train ticket because it could always be cashed back in. I’d hoped the long ride to town would give you a chance to…reconsider.”

  “So this was all a plan, from your first letter?” Grace asked.

  “Yes, but it was a plan of love,” Graham said. “For you both.”

  “It was a meticulous plan, Graham,” Grace said, “but did you ever consider that I’ve been alone my whole life, and living here I’d be not only alone, but alone as a stranger to Hunter’s Grove?”

  “I would have introduced you to people, and as attractive as you are, I knew it would be a matter of days before the men would come calling on you.” Graham took her hand. “I meant to take care of you, no matter what happened.”

  Grace couldn’t help but feel somewhat slighted by Graham and his scheme. Granted, it had turned out well, but if it hadn’t, she’d not have been happy, even with the pretty house. Word would have gotten around that she was Graham's cast-off. It would have been humiliating, and it would take her a while to forgive him.

  Chase studied them both and said, “My first impulse was to be angry with you, Father, for interfering in my life, but I realize now that you did it out of love, and it did turn out well.” He put his arm around Grace. “There will be no men coming here to call on my betrothed, you can bet on that.”

  Grace smiled up at him. “You’re right. Thank you, Chase.” Then she turned to Graham.

  “Should I start living here now, while Chase and I make our final plans?”

  “I think Chloe, Olive, Dora and even myself would be too disappointed. We’ve all come to love you, Grace. You’ll stay with us,” Graham said.

  As they entered the house upon returning from the cabin, Graham asked for a private word with Chase. Grace went upstairs to change for dinner.

  “Let’s talk in my office,” Graham said. Chase followed his father to the back of the house where he had a sofa, chairs, and a large desk.

  “Sit down.” His father pointed to the sofa. Graham sat on the other end.

  “Tell me the truth‒I won’t settle for less than a love match for you,” Graham said. “Do you love Grace?”

  Chase wasn’t sure how to answer. His father had certainly put a lot of effort into this venture, but he couldn’t lie to him either.

  “I’m getting there,” Chase said. “I’m extremely fond of her, and we do have a strong physical attraction. There are so many things I like about her. That she's so good with Chloe and Dora is what drew me to her to begin with. She’s kind, considerate, well-spoken, and I feel strongly that I’ll be able to call it love very soon. I won’t marry her if it doesn’t happen, so I’m glad to have the cabin to fall back on.”

  “There’s a bit more to my plotting that you aren’t aware of—”

  He was interrupted when Olive burst into the office. “Come quick! Chloe’s running a fever!”

  “I sent Harvey to fetch Doc Harris. Dora’s upstairs with her,” Olive said breathlessly.

  Graham and Chase flew up the stairs and into Chloe’s room.

  Chloe sat up and put her arms out. “Papa!” she said.

  Chase hugged her, then gave his father a worried look. “Feel her head.”

  Graham reached over and felt Chloe’s head. “She’s burning up.”

  Grace burst into the room. “Olive just told me. Didn’t anyone get rags and cold water?” she asked.

  “What?” Graham said. “Why?”

  “That’s what you do,” Grace said. “Whenever any of us orphans had a fever, the nuns bathed us in cold water until the doctor arrived.”

  “Dora,” Graham ordered, “go and get rags and cold water!”

  “Here,” Olive said, coming into the room. “I have them.”

  “Miss Grace.” Chloe held her arms out and Grace was about to embrace her when Olive stopped her.

  “No, her illness might be contagious!”

  Grace went into Chloe’s embrace anyway. “She needs to feel loved,” Grace said.

  Chloe clung to Grace. “My throat hurts, Miss Grace.”

  “Let me see. Open your mouth,” Grace instructed.

  “Do you see anything?” Chase asked.

  “Just some redness and what looks like white spots,” Grace said, pulling up Chloe’s nightgown. She examined her belly and legs. “No rash.”

  “Is that a good sign?” Dora asked.

  “A very good sign.” Grace dipped a cloth into the cool water and bathed Chloe from her head to her little toes.

  Dora then dipped a cloth into the water and helped sponge the child.

  Grace sat on one side of the bed, Chase on the other, with Dora at the bottom. Chase and Grace sponged her face and chest, while Dora did her legs.

  “Papa,” Chloe said in a hoarse voice, “make it feel better.”

  Chase gave Grace a helpless look.

  “He will do his best, Chloebird,” Grace said.

  “Doc Harris is here,” Olive announced. The doctor stood behind her carrying his medical bag.

  “Everyone step aside,” Doc Harris said.

  Chase and Grace both kissed Chloe’s forehead at the exact same time before moving away. They stared at each other in amazement that they’d both acted at the same instant.

  Everyone waited on the far side of the room until Doc Harris finally walked over to them.

  “It looks to be a throat infection, called strep, for short.”

  “So it’s nothing serious?” Chase asked.

  “It could be as simple as that, however,” Harris paused, “it’s my duty to warn you that sometimes it’s a forerunner of scarlet fever.”

  Everyone gasped.

  “But it could just be the throat infection?” Grace asked. />
  “I’ve given her some medicine. I don’t see any sign of a rash, so it’s very possible,” Harris said as he packed his instruments into his satchel. “Keep bathing her in water and if the fever doesn’t go down, send for me. It should start to go down by tomorrow. If not, you know where to find me.” The doctor stopped abruptly on his way out of the bedroom. “I should tell you there have been two cases of Scarlet Fever in Hunter’s Grove this month, both children.”

  “Has Chloe been into town at all this month?” Chase asked.

  Olive stepped forward. “Dora and I took her to the general store last week to get fitted for dresses because she starts school in September. Then we ate at the eating house.”

  Chase rubbed his forehead, then turned to Grace. “We’ll sit by her bedside, night and day. She’ll get better, won’t she?”

  Grace nodded. “We’ll make sure she does.”

  Grace turned to Olive and Graham. “Just in case, we should keep Dora away.” At Dora’s disappointed look, Grace explained: “Just a precaution, Dora. When I lived in the orphanage we had a serious outbreak of strep throat and scarlet fever. We’ll put all our effort into taking care of Chloe, but if we have two patients to nurse it would be so much harder. We’ll give you updates on her.”

  “She’s right, Dora. You can come to the doorway and peek in, but don’t come any closer,” Graham said.

  Graham turned to Grace and Chase. “How can I help?”

  “Is there an icehouse in town?” Grace asked.

  “Yes, the general store has one,” Chase said.

  “I’ll go get ice every day,” Graham said, leaving the room.

  “I’ll make chicken soup,” Olive said, following Graham.

  Grace and Chase each took their places at opposite sides of Chloe’s bed.

  The next morning, Chase and Grace reported that the fever had lessened. By afternoon it was nearly gone.