The Reluctant Bride Chapter 5 - After The Celebration

 

The Priest was Always Invited
to the Big Celebrations

 

Chapter 5

The next morning after the big celebration, all was quiet except for a couple of men stumbling around trying to figure out where they were. Seems everyone slept in the morning after. Elena and the girls she hired began to try to straighten things up.  

The noise awakened Sadie although she was having trouble getting her eyes open, due to the fact that in the late hours she was finally encouraged to take a sip of the hard drink.

She never drank that stuff in her whole life, but the girls convinced her it would pep her up so she could finish being the hostess.

As it turned out she had more than several sips and she couldn't remember when or how the evening finished.

 

She realized she wasn't in her bed for this one was much larger than hers. Another thing she became aware of was she had no covers on her and no night clothes on either. In fact she was buck naked.

 

She finally got enough strength to roll over and she saw a naked man in the bed with her.  The knowledge of that paralyzed her and she couldn't move for a while as she tried to remember how this all happened.

 

As her mind cleared a bit she wondered who was in the bed with her and what she was doing there with him. She looked for some covers but couldn't find anything except a pillow. The man didn't have anything on him either.

 

She observed her clothes scattered around the room so she slipped out of the bed quietly and started retrieving her things.

 

The man woke up and turned over. It was Lacey! He was laying there in plain sight of Sadie and she couldn't help but stare at him while he was trying to wake up.

 

Without much success, she tried to cover herself with the pillow, as he finally stood up and very slowly tried to find his clothes and put them on.

 

Lacey was totally unembarrassed even though he was naked and he took his time getting dressed.

 

Sadie was doing her best to keep herself covered as she dressed but it made it more difficult to put her clothes on.

 

He finished dressing and walked out without saying a word to her. She never said anything either.

 

When she left Lacey's room Elena looked her up and down with a suspicious eye and then began to laugh.  She continued to do this every time she saw Sadie that morning.

 

Sadie hadn't seen Lacey since early morning, and it was almost twelve now. A few minutes later he came in and had Elena's Priest with him.

 

He came over and kissed Sadie and said, “We might as well get this over with.”

 

Sadie said, “Get what over with?”

 

“Our wedding what'd think?”

 

She said; “I didn't say I'd marry you.”

 

He smiled and said, “Sure you did… maybe you don't remember saying I want you so badly now, we can be married tomorrow first thing.”

 

She said, “I don't remember anything like that.”

 

He chuckled and said, “What do you think happened last night?  Don’t you remember me proposing and you accepting?”

 

“No,” she answered.

 

He went on and asked, “You don't remember what happened afterward?”

 

She said, “I think I know what happened afterward whatever afterward was.”

 

He went on; “I thought you knew we were going to be wedded someday. It just so happens today is the day.”

 

She started to object further when Elena stepped up and whispered something in Sadie's ear.

 

Sadie turned back to Lacey and said, “Today is the day, Padre proceed please.”

 

After breakfast all the guests left and Lacey hoped they all made it home for some of them weren't too steady on their feet. Everyone agreed that it was the best party they had ever been to.

 

Sadie asked Elena why the Padre was there and she said; after these big doings there are a few who need to get married and it was that way here today. Two couples got married before you and two more afterward.

 

Sadie said it was mighty convenient that he was here today.

 

When the kids heard Sadie was their new mom they hugged her till she could hardly breathe. They wanted to know what to call her and she said either ma or mom whichever you like the best they agreed mom sounded the best. 

 

And so it was; after over two years of breathing the same air they consummated their love for one another.

 

As Elena predicted, Sadie she gave birth to her firstborn nine months later and that was just the start of many more that came after that.

 

As Lacey predicted he became rich from the mine.  

 

As Cousin Bette predicted she could get as many men as she wanted. So far she has wanted five and is working on number six. 

 

And everyone lived happily ever after.

 

The End

 

 

 

The Relucrtant Bride Chapter 4 - A Visit from Cousin Bette

Cousin Bette Came to Visit

Chapter 4

 

Unexpectedly a distant cousin came to visit and she immediately began to interfere with Sadie's work with the children.  She also began to make advances to Lacey some of which were unseemly in Sadie's eyes.  

As Lacey mostly ignored her undignified mores she stepped up her pursuit of him.  At times she was all over him and was getting a little response from Lacey.  

Sadie thought he was human and should be stimulated by the cousin’s seductive moves.   She finally said to Lacey; don't you think it is time for Cousin Bette to call it a visit and return home? The children have been observing the way she is acting with you and are asking questions about her unseemly conduct.  

She went on and said; perhaps it isn't my place to speak but unless you are interested in her as a mate she needs to leave and not come back.  

This shocked Lacey to hear Sadie to speak out like this. He realized what Bette was doing and truth be known he was enjoying some of it. He had been too long without female company and he knew it. 

It was a week later when Lacey took Bette aside and told her that he would have one of the hands take her to the station tomorrow. You better get started packing today so as not to miss your train.  

She looked shocked but said she would do as he said.  Later she was heard mumbling to herself; “What's the matter with that guy doesn't he know a good time when it's offered to him.”  She went on saying; “He missed the best night of his life, he just doesn't know it.”

 That evening the conversation was about the farm and the cattle. Nothing was said about Bette leaving except Lacey asking if she was packed and ready to go. She said yes and would be glad to get back home among her friends.  

Lacey was glad to hear she was taking his advice and going for he didn't know how much longer he could fight her off for she was very alluring although somewhat brash.

Sadie was all smiles after Bette was gone and this without any obvious reason. She had to admit she had no claims on Lacey. Her only tie to him was his children and her responsibility for their education.

As it turned out she took care of them twenty four hours a day not unlike a mother would. She could hardly get enough privacy for a bath for they were always in need of something.

 

During the warm season she would take them to the river a short distance away from the house and they would all bathe. She taught them all to swim. She didn't want to worry about them drowning when she needed to get out of their sight for a few minutes.

 

Unlike regular school there was no summer vacation. School continued year round for them except when Sadie took them town so they could see the shipping of cattle to market. They would ride on the stock train in the passenger car with Lacey and some cattle buyers. Lacey would get a little testy if someone made a suggested remark about wishing they could afford a schoolmarm. The inference being something unseemly was going on between him and Sadie.

 

When they got to Chicago they stayed in a hotel where Lacey and the foremen stayed. Lacey would join in on some of the shopping trips to make sure they didn't get to extravagant and buy stuff they would never use.

 

Sadie was more tight fisted than Lacey but he thought he kept tighter reins on spending than her. Sadie always made sure they experienced some form of entertainment and went to a museum or other place with historical value.

 

Lacey was very protective of his children and when Lacey couldn't accompany them on their excursions he sent one of the cow hands to keep watch over them.

 

When the business was finished and they were on the way home Lacey spent the time with the kids. Eating in the diner with their dad was a special treat for them. He was surprised at how far they had come with their studies. He congratulated Sadie on the job she was doing. He seemed to be in a good mood so she figured his business dealings went well.

 

He told her he would be spending more time at home now since he had made the deal he just finished.

 

He went on saying something I never talked about was a mine I have been developing and now that it is producing I was able to sell a half interest in it to a mining company. They will take over the running of it and we will share the profits made from it. If all goes well I will be a rich man shortly.

 

Sadie had never paid any attention to the money situation she just figured between the farm and the ranch there was enough money to keep them well fed and cared for.

 

Lacey was happier than she had ever saw him. He said we are going to have a celebration. As soon as we get home, you and Elena prepare the biggest party ever given in this part of the country.

 

She thought he would calm down by the time they arrived home but the opposite was what happened. Sadie left the food, drinks, and music to Elena and Sadie did the decorating and the inviting. Lacey kept coming up with new ideas as to what to do to the point where the women were hoping  the day would soon arrive and no more extra add on's coming forth from Lacey. 

The celebration day was here at last. It started with a big breakfast for everyone who had arrived the day before. Elena had hired a half dozen extra Mexican girls to help with all the preparation. As soon as the breakfast was cleared away the real preparation got started. A steer had been killed and was on a huge spit being turned over and over.

 

People were arriving and were eating the food as fast as it was put out on the tables. The musicians appeared and started playing so the dancing could begin.  Then in the afternoon the hard and soft drinks were brought out: and the party really livened up.  The festivity lasted well into the night and people were sleeping everywhere.

 

Elena was worn out from all the work and Sadie had all the celebration she could handle.   Sadie found a corner to rest and passed out from exhaustion.

 

To be Continued

 

 

The Reluctant Bride - Chapter 3

Sadie was Worried About her Future

 

 

Chapter 3

Sadie was mulling over in her mind knowing Lacey wanted to talk to her in the morning and it caused her to wonder what it could be.  Finally she was able to drift off to sleep.

 

Come the morning there were a half dozen roosters competing with each other on who could crow the loudest. They woke Sadie up and she lay there as the same thoughts returning to her from last night.

 

She wondered what time Lacey got up - - just as there was a knock at the door. It was Lacey and he said it's time to get up. Breakfast is on the table and nobody waits on any one else. 

 

Lacey's kids were all up and dressed and eating the grits and bacon. Elena's husband Joseph was almost finished when Sadie made it to the table.

Lacey was outside looking over the horse he got from the saloon cowboy and decided it might be alright for one of the kids to ride, but it wasn't a good cow pony.

 

After drinking some coffee, Sadie caught up with Lacey and told him he was hard to find in the morning. He said my mornings are usually busy.

 

There were several men that didn't fit the mold of how Sadie thought a farmer should look. Lacey had been talking to the men before she found him and after she interrupted his conversation he told the men that they knew what to do so get on with it.

 

He asked her if she had ate breakfast and she said, “Just coffee.”

 

He said he also had coffee but now he was hungry. They went in and Lacey told the cook to whip up a fresh batch of biscuits, ham and eggs and maybe some grits and gravy.

 

Sadie said you must be hungry to eat all of that. He said this may be my only meal today because I have a number of things to deal with.

 

They had some more coffee while waiting for breakfast to be ready and Sadie's thinking was all over the place. What does he have in mind? Does he want to marry me? Maybe just move in and live with him and on and on.

 

Finally Lacey spoke and said, “You need to consider your future and since you no longer have a job teaching you need to return to your home back east.”

 

He went on and said, “I have another situation for you to consider.”

 

Her mind snapped to attention and she was thinking, “What if he asks me to marry him how should I answer that. What if he wants me without marriage or maybe to wed some cow hand who works for him.”

 

She was getting all flustered just thinking about the possibilities. Just come on and say what you want to say she thought.

 

He wiped some gravy from his chin that fell from his biscuit and took a sip of hot coffee and then said; "I have a proposition for you since things are like they are.”

 

She waited for him to have another sip of coffee with her nervousness increasing.

 

He said, “You have seen my little flock?”  

She said, “Yes.”  

 

He went on they are almost too much for Elena and besides they are speaking Mexican half of the time I need someone to come in and take them over and educate them. It will be complete control where I will only be available if something serious comes up. This will be your full time job with better pay than you were receiving in the town school. If this interests you then I will fix everything up as you want it.

 

As he talked Sadie began to relax for this was something she could have only hoped for. After an hour of discussion with some give and take they understood each other and she said yes she wanted the job.

 

He reddened and stiffened as he said there is something else I wish to talk about somewhere down the road later on but that is all for now.

 

He called the children in and explained to them that Sadie was in charge as of now and they must obey her or be disciplined by her. They each said they understood and he ordered a few additions made to the house for a better teaching situation.

 

As Sadie thought about everything she was relieved as well as disappointed. She was concerned that he might want to marry her and felt let down that he didn't. He did say he had something else in mind for later on so she felt she might have that to deal with in the future. The next weeks she completely took the children over and they took to her both personally and her discipline.

 

Sadie was a little disappointed that she didn't see Lacey as often as she wanted to. She wanted to discuss the children's progress and just have time alone to talk to him. She learned that he wasn't just farming but had a large herd of cattle and something else she wasn't sure of what it was.

 

There were a lot of men working for him and they had separate quarters for each operation. Only three men worked at the farm house keeping things up and guarding the children, and another four families who actually did the farming.

 

Then there was Elena and her husband who were like a part of the family she saw to the cooking, washing and cleaning, with a couple of young girls to help her with all these tasks.

 

Sadie noticed Lacey was becoming gaunt and rawboned from too much work. She finally got up enough nerve to mention he had lost weight and was getting too thin. He said he knew it but soon he would be able to back off and turn most of the work to others. She felt she could speak up a little more now and said; "The children needed to see you more often and it is important to interact with them as much as your time would allow," to which he agreed and said, “Soon.”

 

A month later he began to spend most evenings with the family of which Sadie counted herself as being a part of.  She considered this to be her home for the time being and the kids as her own. What ever the foreseeable future was, time would tell.

 

To be continued.

The Reluctant Bride Chapter Two

Sadie was Happy to be Teaching School in this Farm Community

 

Chapter 2

 

Sadie was excited to be in a place where everything was new to her.  A good night’s sleep took care of her tiredness from her journey on the train. 

 

The next day some of the ladies from town came to meet her and they discussed the opening of the school again for it had been closed for some time. Over the next week the women got everything in order and the school was ready to open once again.

 

Sadie was amused by the big school bell outside the school and felt it was the call to action when it was rang.

 

After a few problems she finally got a handle on how to deal with these rowdy kids. They were certainly different from the city kids she was familiar with.

 

One of the biggest problems was when the folks kept the kids home because they needed some extra help with the farming. Some times most of the kids stayed home and she had to adjust the lessons to meet the farming schedule instead of the school's agenda.

 

Six weeks later Lacey came to town again and Sadie was glad to see him.

 

There had been several men calling on her against her wishes which she made known to them. These vulgar men made their wants known like Charles had done, only they were a lot cruder than he was.  Seems they felt since she was alone they could be more forward which caused her to be more stringent and severe in her rebuke of them.

 

Lacey was completely different for he was unimposing but pleasantly charming.  She actually didn't know anything about him for he didn't talk about himself.

 

Several of the women would bring up his name in conversation and Sadie found out that he was their hearts desire.

 

Problem was he paid none of them any attention. He had a way about him where he could be friendly but unobtainable. This really put off the “would be suitors” but hope remained still.

 

He would always bring some food with him for Lacey, and he would have a meal with her. They would talk way into the evening and she could tell he was well read even though he was a farmer. He could discuss almost any subject which was refreshing to her.

 

Then things changed. Her trial period of one year was up and so far she hadn't been paid. They set up an account where she could charge a small amount each month but it wasn't enough to get by on.  By this time she had spent all her savings so she went to the county clerk and asked for her year's wages.

 

Over the year the clerk had been rebuffed by his advances so he was put off by that and rude to her.   He said she had not been satisfactory so she would only get half of her promised wages. This was quite a blow for she was counting on that money.

 

After listening to his sullied verbalizations she finally gave up and left.

 

A man followed her out of the clerk’s office and pushed her into a narrow alleyway and took the rest of her money. She saw him go into the saloon so she went to the sheriff and told him what happened.

 

He said it would be her word against his so it wasn't worth the effort to try to accuse him.

 

In tears, Sadie took off to her home crushed at what had befallen her.  Now she was broke and without a job. In the midst of her crying jag, Lacey showed up and she told him the whole story between sobs.

 

She wasn't sure if it was a smile or a smirk after she finished but he said, “C'mon lets go.”

 

Their first stop was at the clerk's office.  Lacey had strapped on his six gun and loaded his double barrel shot gun.  He went in to the clerk's office and grabbed him with one hand and shoved the shot gun under his chin with the other.

 

He firmly said, “Give her the money that's coming to her or say goodbye to this world.”

 

As the clerk heard the hammers on the shot gun click as Lacey pulled them back, the clerk was screaming, “Be careful with that gun it might go off.”

 

He said, “Here is her money except the sheriff had taken half of it.”  Lacey said, “Give her all of it and you deal with the sheriff.”

 

A minute later Sadie had her money and as they were leaving Lacey said, “Let's go get the rest of it.”

 

Sadie followed Lacey into the saloon and pointed to the man who robbed and hurt her.

 

With that Lacey hit the man with the barrel of the shot gun and knocked him down. Then he shoved the double barrel under the man's nose so hard it was bleeding profusely. He said, “Return the money you stole from her - - now.”

 

The man emptied his pockets and then said, “I spent some of it.”

 

Lacey said, “Then I guess we will have to take your six gun.”  With that he unbuckled the man's gun belt and took it off of him.  He then took the scoundrel outside and asked which horse was his.

 

When he pointed it out, Lacey hit the man and knocked him senseless. He tied the horse behind his wagon and drove to Sadie's place where they loaded up all her goods. She didn't ask where they were going but just leaned over on him and went to sleep.

 

When he stopped she woke up and saw they were at a nice looking home. Coming out to greet them was a Mexican couple smiling and glad to see them both.  From behind the Mexican couple came running four young children the oldest being about eight years old.

 

Sadie was taken aback at what she saw. She said, “You are married?”

 

He said, “I was married but my wife died. This is my brood so far.”

 

“So far?” she replied.  He laughed and said, “Yes, so far.”

 

It was getting late so they had dinner and he said it has been a long day so let's get some sleep and tomorrow I have something I want to talk to you about.

 

The Mexican woman, Elena showed Sadie her room and in a few minutes all was quiet except for a coyote howling in the distance.

 

Sadie was tired but her mind was rehearsing the day's events and she kept wondering what Lacey had on his mind.

 

To be continued