The Bride Price Read online

  He quickly stood back up before she realized he had seen the scars. The last thing he wanted was for her to be embarrassed.

  “Thank you,” she told him.

  “You’re welcome,” he replied.

  “You three are safe now,” Owen told the women. “I’m the sheriff here in Omaha. My name is Owen Russell. This here,” he gestured to Sep, “is Sep Wilson. He’s a friend of the family.”

  Since it seemed obligatory, Sep offered them a nod to greet them.

  “I’m Velma Murdoch,” the brunette said. She gestured to the blonde with the veil. “This is Angela Frank, and this,” she motioned to the other blonde, “is Natalie Harper. What are you going to do with us?”

  “Well, there are a couple of things we can do,” Owen began. “I can help you get back to where you came from, I can help you find a job, or I can find someone for you to marry.” He glanced at Sep. “Richard’s sons are around your age, aren’t they?”

  “Mark and Anthony are two years younger than me,” Sep said.

  “I don’t remember how old you are,” Owen replied.

  So that was what Owen was getting at. He was thinking of having him, Mark, and Anthony marry these three women. Sep hesitated to answer. Did he really want to be married? He glanced at the women, who all seemed to have an expectation that someone would marry them. None of them were all that excited about going back to their hometowns, and it wouldn’t be as easy for them to find a job as Owen was making it sound.

  Sep cleared his throat. “I’m twenty-three.”

  “So that makes Mark and Anthony twenty-one.” With a glance at the women, he added, “They’re twins.”

  “I can’t return home,” the brunette said. “And I have nowhere else to go. I have to stay in Omaha.”

  “I can’t return, either,” the blonde without the veil added.

  Everyone turned their attention to the blonde with the veil.

  She cleared her throat. “I could return home.” After a moment, her gaze lowered. “I just don’t want to.”

  Sep winced. It had to be the scars.

  Maybe the men in her hometown didn’t want to marry someone who had scars on one side of her face. He wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. People based far too much importance on a person’s appearance. Men were especially bad for that kind of thing. He’d been around enough of them to hear the way they talked about women. Not all men were like that, but enough were. And if a woman came from a small town, it would be even harder to find someone who was willing to overlook her imperfections. Which wasn’t fair. Everyone had scars of some kind. Some showed them, and others didn’t. Everyone had something painful to contend with.

  Sep cleared his throat. “I’d be willing to marry you so you can stay here,” he told her.

  Her gaze went to his, and her eyes grew wide. “You would?”

  “Well, sure.” Aware that everyone else was watching them, he shifted from one foot to the other. He had never proposed to a woman before. He hadn’t even courted one. So he wasn’t sure how to go about this. “I’m not married. You’re not married. I wouldn’t mind having a wife. You came to Omaha in order to marry someone. Even though it didn’t work out, there’s no reason why you can’t still get married.”

  Once more, his gaze went to the others. His face warmed. Did he sound like an idiot?

  “Sep is a fine young man,” Owen told the woman with the veil. “He has his own farm just south of town. As I said, he’s a part of the family. You can trust him.”

  She looked at Sep. “I’d be happy to marry you.”

  Sep couldn’t be sure, but he thought the woman was smiling behind her veil. At the very least, her eyes had a certain sparkle to them.

  “Good,” Owen said before Sep could reply. “You two can get married tonight at Rick Johnson’s house. Rick is my brother-in-law, and lucky for us, he’s a judge.” Turning to the other two women, he continued, “I’ll pay Mark and Anthony a visit tomorrow. For tonight, you two can stay over at my place. My wife will be happy to have you as our guests.”

  Since everyone was content with the arrangement, they left the old livery stable. Sep had no idea how Mark and Anthony would respond when they found out they had been selected to marry the two stranded mail-order brides. He wasn’t going to be there tomorrow when Owen talked to them. But he knew they would marry them because their sense of duty and honor would compel them to. If there was one thing he had learned about the Larsons, it was that they had integrity. When push came to shove, they could be trusted to do the right thing.

  As for Sep… Well, Sep hadn’t been above doing whatever was necessary to get things done in the past. He didn’t fool himself into thinking he was as noble as the Larsons. Even if he didn’t go around gambling and sleeping around, life had taught him that things didn’t wait for those who sat around. It rewarded people who went out and took what they wanted.

  And, though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, it would be nice to have a wife. Fate seemed to be offering him a chance he would probably never get again. How else could he explain the fact that three women, all looking for a husband, happened to fall right into his lap tonight? Fate had set it up so that Nora got sick when April needed a husband to protect her. Joel had come out at just the right time. Sep had taken matters into his own hands back then, and things had worked out. No doubt, the same would be true this time. Fate didn’t bring a man something if it wasn’t going to turn out for the best.

  They left the livery stable and went to the wagon. As Owen and the deputy secured the men into the back of it, Sep chanced a glance at Angela. Her gaze was on the ground, and she was clasping her hands in a way that indicated she was trying to calm her nerves. There was no doubt that marriage was a scary prospect. This was the start of a new life, and neither one of them knew exactly what to expect.

  In hopes of reassuring her that everything was going to be alright, he reached out and took one of her hands. He wasn’t sure if she’d welcome the touch or not. April always liked it when Joel touched her. And Joel touched her a lot.

  Angela looked up at him, and he offered her a tentative smile. He had no idea if she returned his smile or not, but she did clasp his hand.

  That was a good start. A promising start. Fate, it seemed, was letting him know he had chosen the right bride. And he wasn’t about to argue with fate.

  “You ready to get in?” Owen asked him.

  Realizing everyone else was ready to go, Sep nodded. Since there wasn’t much room left on the seat, Sep asked Angela, “Do you mind sitting on my lap?”

  Had it been any other situation, he never would have come out and asked such a thing, but it was either that or sit in the back with the criminals.

  Angela cleared her throat and shook her head. “No, I don’t mind.”

  He hopped up into the wagon first and then helped her up. Once she was settled on his lap, he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her secure against him. She, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck. This was nice. He had no idea that holding a woman could be so pleasurable. No wonder Joel did this all the time with April.

  Owen got into the wagon, snapped the reins, and followed his deputy to town.

  Chapter Four

  By the time Owen pulled up to Judge Rick Johnson’s house, it was well after midnight. He had dropped Natalie and Velma off at his home since it was on the way to the jailhouse. As he promised, his wife was willing to take the two women in. Afterwards, he and the deputy put the men in jail. The deputy stayed behind to fill out the paperwork on the men, and Owen took Angela and Sep to the judge’s residence.

  As Owen knocked on the front door, Angela stayed close to Sep. It was strange that she could feel safe with him so soon, but there was something about him that compelled her to trust him. Maybe it was the way he’d held her. There was a certain tenderness in his touch. And he had come to rescue her and the other two women from Mr. Dodson. He was on the side of the law.

  It seemed to her that he was
a fine man who would make a good husband. She only hoped he wasn’t going to be too upset when he found out about her face. Surely, he figured there was some reason why she wore a veil. No other woman did it.

  She bit her lower lip. Maybe she should show him her face. Maybe she should let him know what he’d be getting himself into by marrying her. If he was as good as she suspected, then he would still go through with the wedding, even if he was disappointed.

  She was ready to remove her veil so he could see her face when the door opened. A very sleepy middle-aged man looked at them. As soon as his gaze fell on Owen, he grew more alert.

  “Is someone in trouble?” the man asked.

  “No, no one’s in trouble. Well, no one here anyway.” Owen paused. “I know the hour is late, but a situation came up, and Sep needs to marry this fine young lady.” He gestured to Angela. “Her name is Angela. Angela…” He glanced at her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your last name.”

  “It’s Frank,” Angela replied.

  “Bank?” he asked.

  “No. It’s Frank.” Then she cleared her throat and said in a louder voice, “My name is Angela Frank.”

  “My apologies,” Owen said then turned his gaze back to the judge. “She’s Angela Frank. What do you say, Rick? Do you mind doing this tonight? That way they can go straight to Sep’s house and get some sleep. It’s been a long evening. I’m sure they’re exhausted.”

  Rick nodded and led them into the parlor.

  “Rick, who’s here so late at night?” a woman asked as she came into the room.

  The middle-aged blonde was just as attractive as Velma and Natalie. Without having to be told, Angela knew this was Rick’s wife since Rick gave her the same affectionate look Angela’s father gave her mother.

  “Sep is getting married, Sally,” Rick said. “I suppose he thinks coming here in the middle the night is more romantic than going to the courthouse during the day.”

  By his playful tone, Angela knew he was joking, and she relaxed. That was good. At least he wasn’t upset with her and Sep for showing up at this late hour.

  With an excited squeal, Sally hugged Sep. “You’re finally getting married!”

  Sep rolled his eyes as Sally turned to hug Angela. “You’d swear I was an old man with the way you said that.”

  Sally shook her head. “You’ve been all alone at that farm since you were sixteen. I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever get someone out there to keep you company.” She clasped her hands together and grinned at him and Angela. “I’m so happy you’re getting married. Weddings are romantic whether they’re done in private or in public. It’s always a thrill to see two people come together in holy matrimony. You’re embarking on a new journey together. It’s a journey that you’ll share for the rest of your lives. You’ll now have the same dreams, the same hopes, the same—”

  Before she could finish, a seventeen-year-old boy came into the parlor. “What’s going on?” he asked through his yawn.

  Sally’s attention went to him. “Greg, your cousin Sep is getting married. Isn’t that exciting?”

  “Not really,” Greg said.

  She gasped in surprise. “Greg Theodore Johnson, that’s not nice. You should be excited for him.”

  “What is everyone doing up?” came another voice, which was from an eight-year-old girl.

  “Maybe Laura will appreciate this moment,” Sally told Greg. Turning to her daughter, Sally said, “Your cousin Sep is finally getting married.”

  “Is that all?” Laura asked, not looking any more excited by the event than Greg was.

  It was a good thing Angela was wearing a veil because she couldn’t help but grin in amusement. They were both too young to take an interest in weddings. It was something only older people could appreciate.

  Probably noting Sally’s disappointment, Rick put his arm around her shoulders. “I’m sure if they were more awake, they would appreciate this a lot more. Let me get my book from the den. I’ll be right back.”

  Realizing that Greg and Laura were staring at her in curiosity, Angela lowered her gaze. No doubt they were curious about the veil. She thought she wouldn’t be so self-conscious with the veil on. It was why she bought it before she left her hometown. But now she knew otherwise. In some ways, the veil almost seemed worse because people could imagine all kinds of reasons why she wore it.

  She could not, however, bring herself to remove it. Not yet. Not here. Not when everyone was watching her. She wasn’t sure when the right time would be to remove the veil. Any chances she might have had of warning Sep about her scars were long gone. There was no way she could tell him right now.

  She wasn’t sure when she should do it, either. Should she do it later tonight? Should she wait until tomorrow? Or the day after that? Or should she try to get away with wearing the veil for the rest of her life?

  Rick came back into the room, a book open in his hands. “Alright, I’m ready. It won’t take long. If the bride and groom will come over here,” he gestured to the spot in front of him, “we’ll get the ceremony started.”

  Sally, letting out another excited squeal, guided Sep and Angela over to him.

  It was obvious to Angela that the person most excited about this wedding was Sally. Angela had no idea what Sep was thinking since his expression was blank. Given the bored looks on the children’s faces, they weren’t all that pleased about being woken up.

  Rick, on the other hand, seemed to be a good sport about things since he started reading from the book with a smile on his face.

  Angela dared a peek over at Owen. Owen’s thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. He was probably thinking about what he should do with the men he had just arrested. She had no idea what would become of them. Mr. Dodson and the men he had hired to sell her and the other two women deserved what they were going to get.

  Even as the thought crossed her mind, her stomach churned with guilt. Was she any better than them? She would have gone along with their plan. She was so desperate for a husband that she would’ve done just about anything to get one. Well, anything short of committing a crime. Was allowing oneself to be sold to the highest bidder a crime? Just what did her willingness to do it say about her? Did it mean she was a bad person? Did it mean she would be a bad wife?

  “Angela Frank,” Rick began, “do you take Sep Wilson to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  She quickly turned her attention to Rick. She hadn’t realized Sep had already said yes to his vows.

  “Do you promise to obey, respect, and cherish Sep,” Rick continued, “in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others for as long as you both shall live?”

  She cleared her throat. “I do.”

  Rick turned his gaze to Sep. “Usually, I would tell the groom to put a ring on the bride’s finger, but since this happened so suddenly, I know there isn’t one. We’ll go straight to the kiss.”

  Angela blanched. A kiss? That meant she would have to lift her veil. If she did that, then everyone, especially the groom, would see the scars that she was hiding. And it might make him reconsider following through with marrying her, or it might make his family tell him to consider taking a prettier bride.

  “That’s not necessary,” Sep said, saving her from having to come up with a reason why they shouldn’t kiss. “We can kiss at home. It’s been a long day, and I’m sure everyone is eager to get back to bed.” He glanced over at Greg and Laura who were whispering to each other about how long the wedding was taking.

  Sally frowned at them. “I’m ashamed of you two. I raised you to be better than this.” She turned her attention back to Angela and Sep. “I am so sorry they’re acting this way.”

  Sep chuckled. “It’s alright. I’m not a big fan of weddings, either.”

  “I think weddings appeal more to women than they do to men and children,” Rick said, giving Sep and Angela a wink.

  “Well, I should get these two home,” Owen spoke up. “I picked Sep up ea
rlier tonight from his home so he could guide me to the livery stable where the men were hiding Angela and the other two women they had tricked into coming to Omaha.”

  Rick nodded. “All I need is for everyone but the children to sign the license. Then this marriage will be official.” He pulled a piece of paper from the book and set it on the table.

  Signing the license went quickly enough, and as Angela, Sep, and Owen left the Johnson’s residence, it occurred to her that she was no longer Angela Frank. She was now Angela Wilson.

  Just the thought of taking on Sep’s last name made her skin warm with pleasure. She was finally a married woman. Now she would have a home that was her own. She would have a husband and children to care for. She no longer had to live by herself in a small teacher’s room off to the side of the schoolhouse.

  Angela wasn’t sure what kind of marriage she was getting herself into. To be fair, Sep didn’t know what he was getting himself into, either. But they had the rest of their lives to learn about each other.

  Sep, she was sure, was a good man. He told the sheriff what was going on with Mr. Dodson, and he even helped the sheriff rescue her, Velma, and Natalie. So there was no doubt she was getting a bargain with him. It was a much better bargain than she would’ve gotten with a seedy man who bid on women in an auction.

  She could only hope that, in the years to come, he wouldn’t regret marrying her. She vowed to be the best wife possible. Maybe if she was pleasant enough, cooked well enough, and cleaned well enough he would be willing to overlook her scars. Because, as much as she’d love to wear the veil forever, it really was just a matter of time before he saw them.

  ***