Ellen: Clover Springs Mail Order Brides Read online

  Ellen

  Clover Springs Book 6

  Rachel Wesson

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Rachel Wesson

  Chapter 1

  Bunkhouse, Sullivan Ranch, Clover Springs April 1886

  Smoke filled his nose and mouth making him cough. He twitched from side to side trying to get away from the smell. The barn was on fire.

  Pa, Pa…

  The noise of the stampeding horses deafened him. Pa told them to go hide in the cellar with Ma. Aaron, his brother, didn’t listen but grabbed a gun to help Pa. Samuel ran outside after his big brother. He’d stood watching as the ground shook under his feet. The Indians were like a mass of angry ants, their faces covered in paint. Aaron ran for the barn but he couldn’t move. Not until the first arrow whistled through the air just above his ear. He dived behind the horse trough, shaking so hard his teeth rattled. Crouching in his hiding spot, he peered out at the scene playing out in front of his home.

  “Pa, Look out. Behind you. Pa.” he screamed as the Indian’s axe rose high above his father, sunlight glinting off its surface. The axe fell…

  Samuel jumped from his pillow, sweat running down his face and the back of his neck.

  “Shut up your hollerin, Higgins. Ain’t you too old for nightmares.”

  “Watch it, Cassidy. Nobody talks like that to my brother.”

  Samuel sank further into the covers as Aaron defended him. He knew he meant well but it would only make it worse. The rest of the men in the bunkhouse knew about the nightmares but Cassidy was new.

  “What’s wrong with him then? He ain’t a kid. Not right for a man his age hollerin for his Pa.” Cassidy grumbled.

  “Go back to sleep, Cassidy. Now.”

  Aaron’s command had the desired effect. Although Cassidy grumbled and made a show of beating his pillow, he settled down and was soon snoring loudly.

  Samuel sank further into the bedcovers, too embarrassed to open his mouth. The dream was the same as he always had when something upset him. He screwed his eyes shut hoping to escape the images haunting him. His pa. Winking at him as he kissed his ma’s cheek causing her to hit him with the dishcloth. Pa sitting at the table eating one of Ma’s pies, her caressing his hair when she thought her boys weren’t looking. The look on his ma’s face the day the Indians came. The day his life changed forever. Pa had needed a man’s help.

  “Samuel, you alright there little brother?” Aaron whispered from the top bunk. He sounded concerned but upset at the same time.

  He pulled his cover over his head, turning to face the wall. Closing his eyes once more, he prayed hard. Please let me make it up to Ma for killing Pa. Make those dreams go away.

  It was pointless trying to get back to sleep. He lay on the cot, his hands behind his head until first light. Throwing back the covers, he dressed quickly grabbing his gun on the way out. He saddled his horse and headed out onto the prairie. The others would assume he’d gone hunting. He always headed for the same spot where he practiced firing again and again. He was already the best shot in the county but it wasn’t enough. He had to be prepared to protect his own should he need to. Next time, he wouldn’t let anyone die.

  Chapter 2

  April 1886

  Ellen gripped the side of the seat as the stagecoach seemed to travel across the rough trail on one wheel. Whoosh. She could hear the driver’s whip as it sailed through the air. It wasn’t the poor horses’ fault they were running late. If the driver hadn’t overslept at the last stage stop, they would have plenty of time.

  What are you going to tell everyone? Nobody is expecting you today. They think you are still at university.

  Ellen squeezed her eyes shut trying to stop the negative voice in her head. Usually, she would engage someone else in conversation but the other occupants of the stage were worse than her thoughts. The old woman made Mrs. Shaw look cheerful. She hadn’t stopped complaining from the moment she joined the coach. Although she initially found her irritating, she’d become thankful for her presence when two men joined the stage at the last stop.

  The two men looked and smelled as if they hadn’t had access to a bath in over a year. Ironically they seemed to think she should find them attractive.

  “Where you headed, ma’am?”

  “Don’t be impertinent young man. The young lady doesn’t have to disclose her travelling arrangements to you or anyone else.”

  Ellen had smiled her thanks at the older woman. Her smile soon turned down as the lady added. “It’s entirely inappropriate for a young lady to be travelling alone. Good thing I am here with you, dear.”

  Ellen nodded in acknowledgement but shut her eyes, preferring to feign sleep rather than engage in conversation with the old woman or deal with the men’s rakish stares.

  As she closed her eyes, her thoughts flew back to Boulder. She’d wanted to become a teacher for as long as she could remember. She was always good at school but since coming to America, she seemed to excel. Her teachers had certainly thought so, especially Miss Freeman who encouraged her to pursue her dream and more. She could have become a teacher without going to Boulder but found herself carried along with Miss Freeman’s enthusiasm. Katie and everyone else in Clover Springs had been so excited for her at the thought she would be the first from the town to go to University.

  But she hadn’t given much thought to the reality of her new dream. Going to university meant being away from her family and friends. This last year had been more difficult than she imagined and not just because she was struggling academically.

  Ellen’s skin prickled, she could feel the men looking at her again. She opened her eyes, hoping once they knew she was aware of them, they would stop. It didn’t work. She looked out the window instead. They were almost home.

  Home. Clover Springs was her home now and she missed it. She wanted to be a teacher and she could do that in Clover Springs. She didn’t have to go to university.

  You are just scared you haven’t got what it takes. How would Katie and everyone else react if she decided to stay at home? She’d be a disappointment to everyone, herself most of all.

  Chapter 3

  Sullivan Ranch, Clover Springs

  “Why do you have to go to California? Can’t you stay here? Mr. Davy says he’ll help you file a claim on land.” Bertha Higgins moved back and forth, putting dishes on the table. She gave her firstborn son a glaring look as she banged his dinner onto the table. Samuel, her y
ounger, and in many ways still her baby, was treated only slightly better. He was grateful the Sullivans weren’t here to hear the argument. Davy had taken Mary, Cathy and Ben into Clover Springs for dinner.

  He knew his ma would be upset. He had tried to stop Aaron from saying anything but Aaron being the older brother wasn’t about to listen to him.

  “Ma, we got to go. We can’t take charity from Davy or anyone else.”

  “It’s not charity, Aaron. He’s doing it because we are like family.” Ma banged a serving dish on the table. At this rate it was only a matter of time before she broke one.

  “But we ain’t his family. He has Mary, Ben and Cathy to think about,” Aaron said before forking a large amount of food into his mouth. “This is good, Ma.”

  “Don’t try to get off the subject by telling me you like my cooking.” Ma turned to glare at Samuel. “Guess you are following your brother like you always do.”

  “I don’t want to go.”

  His ma and Aaron stopped talking to stare at him. His ma’s face showed relief but his brother was surprised.

  “What? You said you’d come to mine gold with me.” Aaron’s disbelieving tone matched the look on his face.

  Samuel picked up a fork and pushed the food around his plate. “I didn’t. You said I’d go. You never asked me.” This was typical of Aaron. He’d assumed the role of man of the family when Pa died and despite there only being a couple of years between them, tended to treat Samuel as if he was still a youngster. Not a man of twenty-eight.

  “But you said you wanted a place of your own. We have to go away to earn money to do that,” Aaron said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. He wasn’t used to having his plans questioned.

  “No we don’t.” Samuel insisted. “If you listen to what Ma is saying, we can stay here and own land. We don’t have to go to California.”

  “But we could be rich.” Aaron’s eyes narrowed as he struggled to control his anger.

  “You heard what Harry said the night he and Elizabeth came to dinner. I swear my heart almost stopped more than once at his stories.” Ma wiped her forehead with her arm. Davy’s elder sister, Elizabeth and her husband weren’t regular visitors to the ranch as they had their own place on the other side of town. Ma enjoyed their visits, Elizabeth being the closest she had to a daughter. She’d only been a young girl when the Higgins first moved to Clover Springs.

  “Harry was talking about mining years ago, Ma. Things have improved since then. Besides, I think Miss Mary had something to do with him talking like that. He ain’t never spoke about his time mining before.” Aaron looked at Samuel as if he suspected him of asking Harry to highlight the dangers of mining. Samuel returned his gaze. He hadn’t said anything to Harry or anyone else about Aaron’s plan to go gold mining in California. Clover Springs was a small town. News like that would spread like wildfire. Aaron directed his gaze toward their ma. Samuel followed him and noticed she was looking rather uncomfortable.

  “Bit of a coincidence he brought it up round about the time I spoke to you about California don’t you think?” Aaron pushed the point home.

  Samuel saw by the look on his ma’s face, she must have said something to Mary or maybe to Elizabeth.

  “We could be rich, Ma. You could come live with us. Have your own house.” Aaron changed his tone as he tried to tempt his mother.

  “I already have a house. What do I need another one for? I like it here just fine.”

  Ma was getting ornery. This wasn’t going to end well. As he suspected, her tone riled Aaron who replied hotly.

  “Where are we going to find the money? It costs about twelve dollars just to file a claim. We need money to go to Denver to see the land agent.”

  Samuel had to say something when his ma sent him a beseeching look to intervene. “Davy will stake us. You know he will,” he said despite knowing how his brother would react. When Aaron got into one of his moods, there was no reasoning with him.

  “I’m sick of taking handouts from Davy Sullivan.” Aaron spat some food out with the words.

  “Aaron Mitchell Higgins you watch your mouth. The Sullivan’s have been good to us. If it wasn’t for Davy’s pa…”

  “Yeah Ma, I know.” Aaron mumbled. Ma just had to mention old man Sullivan and both boys remembered how they came to live on the Sullivan ranch.

  “I got money.” Ma said.

  Samuel didn’t bother to hide his surprise. He knew his ma didn’t want her sons to leave but he hadn’t thought she would be willing to lend them her savings.

  “Ma, I aint taking your money neither. You’re saving to go see your sister. You been talking about that for years.” Aaron said in a much more agreeable tone. He looked at Samuel who nodded his agreement.

  “My sister wouldn’t recognize me. I doubt she even wants to see me, she rarely writes. You’re my boys. I want to help you get settled. I want you to stay close. I never made a secret of the fact I want some young’uns to spoil.”

  “Ma. Stop rushing us to the altar.” Aaron said, laughing as he reached for the milk jug.

  “Rushing you. You are nearly old enough to be a granddaddy. I aint rushing you.”

  “Stop it you two. Let’s get back to the question in hand. Ma, I don’t know how much you’ve saved but I doubt it will be enough to cover all the costs associated with two claims. We have to file the claim, build a dwelling and buy livestock.” Samuel waited for a response but none came. “I’ve been thinking.”

  “That’ll be a first.” Aaron said but his tone was teasing.

  “You hush up Aaron and listen to your brother.” Ma swiped Aaron over the head with a dishcloth.

  Samuel smiled. There was a first time for everything. Ma would deny it until she was blue in the face but truth was she always looked to Aaron as the sensible stronger son. In her eyes, Samuel was slower and not as bright as his older brother.

  “Why don’t we file one claim now and another one next year? Ma or Davy can stake us the money. Davy said there is a market for beef so we should make the money back soon enough to repay the loan.”

  “You know the rules. We have to live on the land for five years to stake a claim. I may love you little brother but that doesn’t mean I want to live with you.”

  Samuel ignored Aaron’s remark. “The first of us to marry should live on the claim.” He didn’t want to get married. The girl he loved had left Clover Springs before he had been man enough to tell her how he felt.

  For the second time that night, both his ma and brother stared at him.

  “Married? How do you plan on finding us brides?” Aaron scoffed. They all knew there was nobody suitable in Clover Springs. All the young women of marriageable age were spoken for. Well apart from Ida Hawthorn but Samuel knew Aaron wasn’t that desperate.

  “You heard Ma. She wants grandkids. You’re the oldest so you should get yourself a wife and make your mother happy.” Samuel said.

  Aaron threw a cushion at Samuel, he ducked as it sailed over his head hitting and knocking Ma’s favorite dish to the floor.

  “Stop it you two. This is serious.”

  “Ma, you need to calm down before you give yourself a heart attack. Aaron, are we going to the Land Office to file the claim?”

  “I can’t make a decision like that right now. I got to think about it.”

  “Well, don’t think too hard. I’m not getting any younger.” Ma retorted before walking out of the kitchen and banging the door behind her.

  “Wow, she really got herself all wound up.” Aaron stood and started moving dishes to the sink. They didn’t normally clear the table as they had chores on the ranch.

  “She has a point though. Don’t you ever look at Laura and Paul and feel a little jealous?” Samuel asked his brother.

  When Aaron didn’t answer, he looked up to find his brother staring at him with a funny look on his face.

  “What? I’m just saying I kinda like the idea of settling down with a wife and kids. Don’t you?” You
could have had that if you had been brave enough to speak up sooner. Maybe she wouldn’t have left Clover Springs. Once a coward, always a coward.

  “Now you sound like Ma. I got chores to do. “Aaron grumbled. He went out to the barn slamming the door behind him. Samuel didn’t follow. Feeling bad for being party to upsetting his ma, he boiled some water and set the dishes in to soak. No point in washing them as she would only do them over. His ma was particular like that.

  Chapter 4

  The scent of ground coffee beans fought with the earthy fumes coming from the bins of potatoes, carrots and turnips. Ellen pushed past the bags of flour and sugar to where her sister was kneeling, scrubbing the floor.

  “What happened here?”

  “Ellen.” Katie’s eyes filled with tears. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”

  Ellen braced herself as her sister threw herself at her, hugging her as if she hadn’t seen her for years.

  “Easy Katie, I can’t breathe.”

  “Sorry.” Katie held her in her arms but loosened her hold. “Let me look at you. You look so different. Grown up.” Ellen smiled as Katie looked her over from head to foot.

  “So are you home for a visit? There’s nothing wrong is there?” Katie asked, concern making her voice squeaky.

  “No Katie, I was homesick and decided to come home for a visit. It’s almost Easter and I couldn’t get home for Christmas. When I told my lecturers I had a new nephew, they agreed to give me the time off. Isn’t that allowed?”

  “Of course it is but it’s a bit sudden.”

  Ellen didn’t want to have the conversation now. She needed to make a decision about her future without getting her sister involved. For now at least, although she knew it would be difficult keeping Katie at arm’s length. Her sister was bright. She knew it wasn’t usual for a student to arrive home in the middle of the school year.