A Groom's Promise Read online

  A

  Groom’s

  Promise

  Ruth Ann Nordin

  &

  Janet Syas Nitsick

  This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and also represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher.

  A Groom’s Promise

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  All Rights Reserved.

  The Bride’s Choice Copyright 2015 Ruth Ann Nordin

  When the Whistle Blows Copyright 2015 Janet Nitsick

  Smashwords Edition

  Cover Photo image of background Dreamstime. www.dreamstime.com. All rights reserved – used with permission.

  Cover Photo image of couple Hot Damn Stock. http://hotdamnstock.com. All rights reserved – used with permission.

  This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without expressed written consent of the publisher/author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  The Bride’s Choice

  by

  Ruth Ann Nordin

  Shy and clumsy Jack Warren has finally found the woman of his dreams, but her father wants her to marry his brother instead.

  Chapter One

  Charles City, Virginia

  Late September 1877

  Jack Warren followed his brother onto the train. He gave one last look behind him. Was he making a big mistake?

  “Come on, Jack, or we won’t get a good seat,” Hugh called out, looking over his shoulder at him.

  Jack picked up his pace but tripped on the last step and tumbled forward, knocking his brother into the passenger in front of him. “S-sorry,” he mumbled.

  “Watch it,” came the gruff voice from the tower of a man in front of them.

  “Sorry,” Hugh apologized. “We’ve never traveled on a train before.”

  “Well, watch where you’re going,” the man replied in a huff before he sat down.

  “Try to be more careful,” Hugh whispered to Jack. “We don’t want people to think we’re a couple of country bumpkins.”

  “I-I d-didn’t m-mean—” Jack began.

  But Hugh was already hurrying down the aisle before Jack could finish his sentence. And that was probably just as well. It’d probably take him the next full minute to get it all out anyway.

  Jack hurried after his brother, hoping there were two seats available that were next to each other. They finally found two vacant seats next to a young lady who was sitting by a window.

  His brother got ready to sit in the middle seat when the train chugged forward and Jack lost his balance. He tried to grab one of the seats to steady himself, but he bumped into his brother once again, which caused a most embarrassing sequence of events.

  Hugh knocked her hat off by mistake, and she let out a slight yelp as it landed on the floor by her feet. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the train made a turn on the tracks that caused Hugh to fall forward, and this resulted in his face ending up right in her lap.

  Face warm, Jack dodged behind his brother, praying she wouldn’t look over at him and blame him for the mishap. They’d just gotten on the train, and already, he’d made a real mess of things. This wasn’t good. It wasn’t good at all. He tried not to be superstitious, but this didn’t bode well for their journey.

  He took several deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He knew he shouldn’t let these things bother him. They were little things, after all. Not huge ones. But he couldn’t seem to help it. His brother had it so easy compared to him. He didn’t stress the little things.

  When Hugh sat down, Jack quickly followed his lead, grateful Hugh was sitting between him and the woman so he wouldn’t have to talk to her.

  Hugh bent down to retrieve something off the floor, and Jack quickly put his hand up to block the view of the woman.

  “I’m afraid I ruined your hat,” Hugh told her.

  Jack spread his fingers and saw that Hugh was sitting up straight, blocking him from her view. Relieved, Jack put his hand down.

  “How am I to travel like this?” she snapped.

  Jack winced at the irritation in her voice. Why was it that wherever he went, he upset people? It wasn’t like he was trying to. It just happened. He closed his eyes and set his head on the back of the seat while Hugh continued talking to her.

  After the conductor came by, Hugh muttered, “What a way to start our new life.”

  Jack opened his eyes and looked at his brother. “I’m sorry, Hugh.”

  “I know you are.” In a lower voice, he added, “I told her I would buy her another hat at our next stop.”

  He winced. “We don’t have much money.”

  “But it’s the right thing to do.” Hugh glanced over at her then told him, “She can’t stand sitting next to me, and I can’t blame her.”

  “It wasn’t your fault. Just tell her I’m the reason you bumped into her.”

  “We’re a team, Jack. Always have been and always will be.”

  Jack nodded, both humbled and grateful his brother hadn’t given up on him. Others would. Others had. This was to be their new start on life. But Jack was already messing things up, and he was afraid things wouldn’t be any better in Nebraska. This new venture just might end up being for nothing.

  ***

  When they arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, Jack and Hugh gathered their trunks from the baggage handler. It was hard to believe they had finally reached their destination. The food had left a lot to be desired, whenever they had time to go to the dining car during one of the twenty-minute breaks at a depot. A couple times, Jack decided to go without meals to save his stomach the trouble of indigestion afterwards.

  But the journey had been worth it. This was a new place for a fresh start. Hugh had said Archie Smith was an elderly man who wanted them to help with the animals, tend to the crops, and fix up the place. In return, he’d sell them some of his land where they could build their own house and live in peace for the rest of their days. After being surrounded by lots of people in the city, it would be heaven.

  Jack turned to Hugh. “Did Archie say how to get to his farm?”

  Hugh nodded. “It was in his letter. Let’s get a cab to take to his home.”

  Picking up his trunk, Jack followed his brother out of the station. Along the street were drivers who waited by their horses, calling out offers to take people to their destinations. Jack held back and let his brother approach one of them. Jack watched as the two men talked. They made it look so easy. They didn’t know each other, and right away, they had no trouble getting their words out.

  Hugh waved to him, so Jack went over to them. After the two brothers got their trunks into the back of the cab, they climbed in and took their seats. Soon, the driver snapped the reins, and the horses led them down the brick street, the clomping of their hooves calming Jack’s nerves.

  He wouldn’t have to do any of the talking when they got to Archie’s place. Hugh would. As long as he nodded and smiled, he should be able to have as little interaction with their employer as possible. Archie would tell Hugh what he needed done around the place, and Hugh could tell Jack. Then Jack would do his work. And maybe, finally, he could live a nice, quiet life doing his own thing.

  Turning his attention to the window, he let his mind wander as they left the heart of the small town. It was a nice sunny day, so he got a good look at their surroundings. The prairie spanned all directions, dotted by a homestead here and there. Occasionally, there’d be a tree, too, but mostly it was devoid of anyone or anything. Just endless fields.
>
  Already, he liked it. With so few people out here, he stood a better chance of making a good life as a farmhand. Hugh was right. This was the answer to their prayers.

  The driver led the horses down one of the narrow dirt roads that led to a homestead with a simple two-story wood house and a small bunkhouse that probably didn’t sleep more than three or four men at any one time.

  “You said we’re the only ones who will be in the bunkhouse, right?” Jack asked Hugh, who was counting his money.

  Hugh glanced up at him and nodded. “It’s just us and the owner. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Good. That’s what he thought, but it was nice to have the reassurance. Taking a deep breath, he straightened in his seat and got ready as the cab came to a stop. He got out of the carriage first and held the door for Hugh. Hugh shoved the money in his pocket and stepped down from the cab.

  Hugh handed the driver a couple coins while Jack retrieved their trunks and put them on the grass, not too far from the porch steps. “Thank you,” Hugh told the driver.

  The driver tipped his hat. “Any time.”

  Jack opted to smile instead of saying anything, a technique that always worked for simple exchanges. And this case was no different. The driver wished him luck.

  As the driver guided the horses off the property, Hugh led Jack up the porch, and Jack stopped at the top step while Hugh knocked on the door. He took a deep breath and lowered his gaze to the wooden boards. The place was in good shape, but he caught sight of a loose board near his foot that could use fixing. A more careful glance at the railing showed him other work he could do. It would be easy to secure the nails.

  Good. He was already finding things to do, and he hadn’t even met the owner yet.

  The front door opened, and a man who looked to be in his sixties stepped onto the porch. “Howdy,” he greeted, a kind smile on his face.

  “Hi,” Hugh replied, taking his hat off. “Are you Archie Smith?”

  “I am.”

  “I’m Hugh Warren, and this is my brother, Jack. We’re excited about working for you.”

  “Glad you made it here safely,” the man said, shaking Hugh’s hand. “How was your trip?”

  “It was good. Met some nice people along the way. One was a lady by the name of Winifred Preston. She came here to be with her sister, Opal Boyer.”

  “I know who Opal is. She married Alex, the banker. It’s sure a small world.”

  Archie turned to shake Jack’s hand, but Jack quickly knelt down and pretended to check the buttons on his boots.

  “You’ll have to forgive my brother,” Hugh said. “He’s shy around strangers.”

  “Well, I hope he won’t feel like a stranger for long,” the man replied with a chuckle. “Around here, we’re all friends.”

  Avoiding eye contact, Jack nodded to let the man know he heard him.

  “We appreciate you letting us stay here,” Hugh told Archie.

  “To tell you the truth, I could use the help. It hasn’t been easy to manage the farm all by myself. Maybell does as much as she can, but she needs to focus on the cooking and cleaning, you know?”

  Maybell? Was that the man’s wife? Jack didn’t recall Hugh mentioning her.

  “We usually hire men who are coming through for the season,” Archie continued. “Most want to own their own land, like you, and I don’t blame you one bit. It’s important you make a place for yourself.”

  The door opened again, and a young woman, no older than Jack, came onto the porch, holding two glasses of lemonade. Jack straightened up in interest. She was absolutely beautiful. Her dark red hair was pulled back into a simple hairstyle that framed her face in the most becoming fashion. She had light blue eyes, smooth skin, full pink lips, and a figure that—

  No, he wasn’t going to go there. It was enough to know she had a pretty face. No need to dwell on the rest of her. That would only give him thoughts he’d rather not have because she wasn’t going to be his wife. She’d end up marrying someone else.

  “Oh, this is my daughter, Maybell,” Archie introduced. “Maybell, these are Hugh and Jack Warren.”

  She smiled. “I saw you two arriving,” she said and handed Hugh a glass. “I figured you must be thirsty after your long trip.”

  “Thank you,” Hugh replied.

  She walked over to Jack and held out the glass to him. “It was my ma’s recipe. Just the right blend of sweet and tart.”

  Jack shook his head, hoping she would leave the matter alone.

  “Go on and drink it,” Hugh told him. “You’ve got to be thirsty. It’s been a long trip.”

  Jack scanned the others and saw they were all watching him. They were going to think something was wrong with him if he didn’t take the glass. Gulping, he steeled his resolve and grabbed it. He tipped his hat as a way to say thank you, but the wind blew the hat off his head and down the steps.

  He hurried to grab it and spilled lemonade all over the steps and himself. Stumbling, he finally managed to retrieve the hat and plopped it on his head, sure his face was red from embarrassment. Why couldn’t he be graceful like his brother?

  Jack cleared his throat and stammered, “I-I-I-”

  “It’s alright,” Maybell said. “A little spill never hurt anyone. I’ll come back out with another glass.” She turned and went back into the house.

  Jack didn’t dare make eye contact with his brother. Why he couldn’t handle a simple thing like a drink was beyond him. When no one was around or when it was just Hugh, he had no trouble. But mix in anyone else, and he couldn’t do anything right.

  “While she gets another glass, would you two like to discuss the terms of the arrangement?” Archie asked.

  “Um, Jack?” Hugh called out.

  Jack took a deep breath and forced himself to speak in slow, even words. “Can…I…do…something…else?” He released his breath. That took a lot more out of him than he expected, but he did it. At least he spoke clearly.

  “The details of the agreement would bore him,” Hugh explained. “He’d rather be doing something else. You got any animals to tend to or anything to fix? He’s real good at fixing things. You need it done, he can do it.”

  “Well,” Archie scratched his jaw, “I suppose it’s time for the animals to be fed. Got a couple horses and milk cows in the barn. Now that I think about it, the cows need to be milked, too.”

  “You hear that, Jack?”

  Jack nodded and started to turn to go to the barn when Maybell called out, “I have your lemonade.”

  Hiding his grimace, he waited as she bounced down the steps, making the whole process look much easier than it really was. At least for him.

  “Here you go,” she said with a smile that seemed to make the sun just a little bit brighter. “You can bring it to the house when you’re done.”

  The last thing he wanted to do was take the glass. What if he spilled more lemonade? And in front of her, of all people? But he had to. Everyone was watching. He didn’t have to look up at the porch to feel the weight of their gazes on him. Swallowing, he reached out and took the glass. As much as he tried not to touch her hand, one of his fingers brushed hers, and a spark went right through him.

  Had she not been holding the glass, it would have fallen. “S-s-sorry,” he mumbled, finally managing to get a firm grasp on it. Then he looked away from her, doing his best to ignore the warmth in his face.

  “It’s alright. I spill things from time to time,” she assured him.

  He waited until she turned to go back to the house before he went to the barn. Since she happened to be a pretty one, he glanced back at her, noting the gentle sway of her hips. She was a fine woman, built very nicely with curves everywhere a woman ought to have them. Sure his face was flaming red, he quickly averted his gaze before Hugh or Archie could figure out what he was thinking.

  Chapter Two

  As Maybell turned back to the house, she looked over her shoulder and saw Jack heading for the barn, trying to run wi
thout spilling more lemonade. A smile tugged at her lips. Granted, she didn’t know him, but he struck her as absolutely charming.

  She could have gone right in, she supposed, but she couldn’t help but look over at the barn one more time. Jack was already in there, so she couldn’t see him. A shame, really. He had a certain appeal to him. Dark hair, broad shoulders, a lean build, chocolate brown eyes, and-oh!-the cutest dimples.

  She shook her head. Foolish thinking. That’s all it was. There wasn’t anything special about her, nothing to commend herself to a man. She wasn’t as beautiful as most women. She was alright, she supposed, but she hadn’t had a single suitor, not even when she was in school. Granted, she wasn’t an old maid, but the only men she got a chance to meet now were those who came to help her pa.

  All the young men who’d come to help her pa in the past year had been polite, but none had ever expressed an interest in courting her, let alone marrying her. And her pa had encouraged them, saying she was available and had a pleasant disposition. But apparently, men wanted more. They wanted fun and engaging.

  Forcing her eyes off the barn, she went into the house. After she quickly stirred the stew and added some salt for flavor, she covered the pot. From the kitchen, she could hear her pa talking to Hugh in the parlor.

  “I see a businessman in you,” her pa was telling Hugh. “Am I right? You good with figures, fella?”

  “Well, I think so,” Hugh said. “I assisted my father with his bookkeeping.”

  “Glad to be doing business with you then.”

  Recalling the sticky lemonade on the steps, Maybell filled the bucket with water then grabbed a rag and a bar of soap and stepped out to the porch. Though she was curious about these two brothers who’d just arrived, she would have to wait until she had a moment to talk to her pa alone. All she knew so far was that they were looking for land that had already been worked on so they didn’t have to start from fallow ground.