The Unexpected Bride (The Unexpected Sinclares Book 1) Read online

  Reverend Hastings nodded. “I see. Well, you certainly have a more pragmatic view of your upcoming marriage than most brides I’ve talked to.” His tone conveyed neither censure nor approval.

  He turned to Caleb. “And you? Making a home for your orphaned nieces and nephews as you have is certainly admirable. That’s a heavy responsibility, and there’s many who would have shied from it. But do you truly believe marrying a woman you barely know is the best thing for you and your family?”

  She did turn to look at Caleb now. He met her look and gave her hand a light squeeze before turning back to the reverend. Was that to convey approval or just for show?

  “Yes, sir, I do. Elthia here has a fine way of saying things, and I guess I echo most of it. I’ve already learned she has a big heart when it comes to the kids. She’s going to make them a fine mother. I think this marriage is going to work out even better than either of us thought it might a few days ago.”

  Elthia flashed him a smile, pleased by the compliments, even if they were only said for the reverend’s benefit.

  Reverend Hastings looked from one to the other of them, as if trying to probe for something left unsaid. But he finally smiled and stood. “Very well. It appears you are both sure of your decision. Let’s take a few minutes to go over some of the whens and whats of the ceremony, and then we’ll be all set.”

  An hour and a half later, Elthia stood next to Caleb at the front of a church packed with strangers. There must have been a hundred folks present, more than the church had been designed to hold. The pews were uncomfortably full, with children perched on their mother’s laps to make more room, and still a good dozen or so had to stand at the back.

  Did all weddings draw so much attention in Foxberry or only those that involved a mail-order bride?

  Elthia was grateful she hadn’t had to march up that aisle under the scrutiny of all those curious eyes. Reverend Hastings had suggested that she and Caleb sit in the front pew during the Sunday service. Once it was time for the wedding to begin, they’d simply step up to the pulpit from there.

  The Tanner children sat in the front pew, along with Granny. Caleb had been true to his word. He’d talked to Reverend Hastings about Poppy, and while the reverend had reservations, Caleb had been quite persuasive. Poppy, tail wagging furiously, perched on Alex’s lap.

  How she wished Harm could be there too. She desperately needed her brother’s counsel, his presence, as she took this step.

  Then Elthia took herself to task. She was supposed to be proving she could stand on her own, make her way without her family’s support. Looking for Harm’s help now proved just how far she still had to go.

  Firmly reminding herself that those orphaned children needed her, as did the stubborn man at her side to a lesser extent, she drew her shoulders back and lifted her head to face the reverend.

  The ceremony passed in a blur until time for Elthia to pledge her troth. She handed the flowers to Zoe, then turned to face Caleb. He took her hands as Reverend Hastings read the vows.

  Suddenly the moment crystallized. Her pulse reacted to the tingling touch of his hands. Her gaze flew to his, captured by the reddish-brown warmth of his eyes. Her entire focus narrowed to his face and this moment. As she repeated her vows, she felt like an honest-to-goodness bride for the very first time.

  Caleb noted the change in her immediately. The dazed look she’d had since they arrived at the church was gone. It was replaced by an intensity, a burst of something breathless and aware, something he couldn’t quite define. He wished he could see her eyes, hidden by her thick glasses.

  She recited her vows in a sure and unhesitating voice. There would be no reason for anyone in the church to believe she had any reservations about the marriage. Pleased and warmed by her graciousness, he gave her hand a squeeze of approval.

  Then it was his turn. Repeating the vows that would bind them together, however temporarily, he slipped the ring he’d brought with him out of his pocket and onto her finger.

  Her gaze shot from the ring to his face. Her surprise was obvious. Had she thought him unwilling to bear the expense or just too uncaring to bother? Of course, this ring, a gold band unadorned by gemstones, wouldn’t measure up to her standards. He wished he could have given her something finer, something to show he appreciated her honoring their agreement this way.

  Just as Reverend Hastings pronounced them man and wife, Poppy decided to join them at the altar. Jumping off Alex’s lap, the jackrabbit of a dog bounded up to them, yipping crazily and darting around Elthia’s skirts.

  There were smothered gasps and giggles from the congregation, but Caleb was surprised to see how composed his bride remained. Even the telltale pink coloring her cheeks seemed more a result of pleasure than embarrassment. Of course, she treated the little beast like it was family anyway.

  He watched as she bent down and scooped up the dog, hugging it to her chest. Then she turned to him with a teasing smile. “I believe Poppy has given us his blessing. He apparently wants to be the first to congratulate us.”

  Granny Picket cackled from her front-row seat, stood, and approached the newly married couple. “Caleb, you just wipe that scowl off your face. You got yourself a new bride, and that’s something to smile about. Besides, you’ve just passed a test of sorts. A woman’s pet won’t accept you unless the woman has too.”

  Caleb cast a quick glance at Elthia in time to see her cheeks redden in earnest before she ducked her head, ostensibly to retrieve her flowers from Zoe. He suddenly felt a tad better about things—even the mutt.

  Then they were swamped by friends and neighbors who wanted to wish them well and meet his bride.

  From Elthia’s perspective, the reception started out as a complete disaster. She and Caleb were separated early on. While he received the congratulations of his back-thumping friends, Granny demanded Elthia’s arm. “Come along. It’s time you met your new neighbors. And then we’ll find you something to eat.”

  As Elthia looked at the sea of faces, she suddenly remembered everyone in this small community thought of her as a mail-order bride, as someone who’d been forced to travel hundreds of miles to find a man desperate enough to marry her, sight unseen.

  Only once before had she felt such acute humiliation, and that had been suffered in private. Imagining pity behind every cautious smile and speculative glance sent her way, Elthia’s back stiffened, and she drew her flagging courage around her. She would get through this with what dignity she could muster.

  They made slow progress. Granny stopped frequently to introduce her to townsfolk. The people were polite, welcoming her to the community and making small talk about the ceremony. Invariably, the ladies would remark on how lovely her gown was and ask questions about the latest fashions from back East.

  Elthia answered as best she could, but fashion was something she’d never paid much attention to. Her answers tended to be short, and she tried to redirect the conversation or move on whenever the subject came up.

  Some of Elthia’s tension eased as she spied a familiar face. “Dr. Adams, how nice to see you again.”

  The doctor doffed his hat. “Mrs. Tanner, good day to you. And Granny, you’re looking as spry as usual.”

  Elthia started at the unfamiliar salutation. Goodness, she was Mrs. Tanner now. Feeling an unexpected thrill of excitement at that thought, she stood straighter and sneaked a quick look toward Caleb, her husband.

  Then the doctor reclaimed her attention. He turned to a petite, brown-haired woman with a warm smile, standing next to him. “May I present my wife, Hannah.”

  “Mrs. Adams, how nice to meet you.”

  “You just call me Hannah, dear. Welcome to our community.”

  “Thank you. Foxberry seems to be a nice town.”

  “It is that,” Mrs. Adams said with a smile. “The pace is probably a mite slower than what you’re used to, but we like it that way. Hopefully you’ll grow to appreciate it as well.”

  Elthia decided she liked
the doctor’s wife. Though she still wasn’t comfortable calling the older woman by her first name. “Yes, ma’am, I’m sure I will.”

  Granny tugged on her arm. “Come along, Elthia, looks like the vittles are all spread out. Where’s Caleb? The bride and groom have to serve themselves before anyone else will dig in.”

  As Granny searched the crowd for Caleb, Elthia’s stomach rebelled at the thought of eating anything. Knowing she would be scrutinized by all these strangers didn’t help matters a bit.

  Why couldn’t she and Caleb gather up the children and slip back to the house now that the wedding was over?

  Elthia immediately squelched that thought. She would not turn and run like a coward. She’d faced scores of uncomfortable social situations in the past. This was just one more.

  Odd how she’d grown to regard her intimidating husband as an ally though, a safe harbor among these strangers. She actually wished it was him by her side instead of Granny right now.

  Caleb finally found himself beside his bride again. He’d kept an eye on her since they’d separated, which had earned him a few teasing remarks and knowing grins.

  But he wasn’t mooning over his bride, he wanted to see how she reacted to his neighbors. And he didn’t like what he saw. She held herself stiff with a brittle smile that wouldn’t fool an infant. Sure, this wasn’t some fancy high-society gathering, but couldn’t she at least pretend to enjoy herself?

  She’d seemed to thaw a bit when she stopped to talk to Doc and his wife. But that pinched look was back now. Did she think a doctor was closer to her social equal than the simple farmers and merchants that surrounded them?

  As Caleb took Elthia’s arm, Granny excused herself and joined the reverend. Caleb kept the friendly smile planted firmly on his lips. “I’ve seen warmer smiles on a condemned man,” he said, his voice pitched so that only she could hear him.

  She started, biting her lip as she looked up. “Pardon me?”

  “These folks went to a lot of effort to set up this reception for you. The least you could do is pretend you appreciate it.” He smiled and waved at his former schoolteacher.

  “But I do. It’s just that—”

  They’d reached the first of the tables, and Caleb shoved a plate in her hands. “I don’t care what it is,” he hissed through his smile, “just stop acting so blasted high-and-mighty.”

  She snapped her lips shut at that, and the bright pink flooded her cheeks.

  Mrs. Johnston, helping serve the food, stared at them with furrowed brow. Caleb knew she hadn’t overheard the conversation, but the byplay must have been interesting.

  Elthia shot him an angry have-it-your-way look, just before she flashed a saucy smile, giggled, and tapped his arm. “Oh Caleb,” she teased, “you mustn’t say such things here in public. What would these nice people think if they heard you?”

  Was she batting her eyelashes at him behind those thick glasses? His ears grew warm as a couple of the men standing behind him let out guffaws.

  She turned her ain’t-it-all-wonderful expression on Mrs. Johnston. “It’s so nice to see you again. This looks and smells delicious, just like the stew you left for my first Texas meal. It is just so generous of everyone to do this for Caleb and me.”

  Mrs. Johnston blinked at Elthia’s seemingly artless words and gave her a warm smile. “It was our pleasure, Mrs. Tanner.”

  Elthia waved a hand. “Oh, please, call me Elthia. After all, we’re neighbors now, aren’t we?”

  Then she turned to Caleb, still with that butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-her-mouth smile. “Caleb, you dear, sweet man, you’re going to have to help me make my selections. There’s just too much for me to choose from.”

  Before Caleb could say anything, she turned her head back toward Mrs. Johnston. “I’m certain it’s all excellent, but I can’t possibly have some of everything, can I? And Caleb’s so good at making selections, don’t you think?”

  Caleb struggled to keep his smile in place as that remark earned him another snicker. He had to hand it to his bride, she sure had a sharp way with words when she got riled.

  As they made their way along the line of tables, Elthia kept up her chatter. She managed to make her fulsome compliments sound sincere. And she never missed a chance to make him appear “such a dear, sweet man,” very innocently done, of course.

  By the time they’d filled their plates, Caleb was gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached. He steered her to a tree-shaded spot where Granny had had a blanket spread for them earlier. “All right, lady, ease up on the sweetness and light act, will you.”

  Elthia sat, balancing her plate on her lap, and lifted her chin. “You wanted me to appear happy with the town and with my husband,” she said, waving at Dr. and Mrs. Adams as they strolled by. “Now smile so folks don’t think we’re arguing.”

  Caleb jabbed his fork into a slice of ham and took a bite. Chewing with vicious energy, he waited until his temper was under control before he spoke. “Okay, maybe I was a little hard on you, but I don’t want you looking down your nose at these folks.”

  She turned to glare at him, trying to cover the flash of hurt at his words. Then she looked at her plate, pushing the food around with her fork. “I wasn’t looking down my nose at them, Mr. Know-it-all Tanner. I’m sorry if it seemed that way. Let’s call a truce, shall we?” Her eyes scanned the grounds. “Have you seen the children since the ceremony ended?”

  Something in her tone worried him. Had he misinterpreted her earlier frowns? He kept forgetting how scary this must be for her. And she had done him proud through the wedding ceremony.

  Promising himself he’d go easier on her, he allowed her to change the subject. “The boys are over there.” He pointed to the left. Alex, Keith and Kevin were playing a rowdy game of chase with some of the other boys from the area. Peter stood watching them, his back to a tree and his hands in his pockets.

  “Josie’s over there.” He pointed to the church where his niece sat on the ground with two other girls, playing with Poppy.

  He caught the eye of a couple of men lounging by the steps. The pair grinned and saluted him, their knowing looks making it difficult for him not to roll his eyes. It was a good thing that they didn’t know the truth, that there would be no wedding night privileges for him. The thought of what he’d miss out on bothered him more at the moment than he’d thought it would.

  She sure was pretty in her fancy gown, a shimmering flower in a field of newly cut grass. Despite the heat of the noonday sun, she looked cool and crisp, every inch the lady. But now she also seemed approachable. There was no sign left of the snooty society lady he’d seen in her earlier.

  “What about Zoe?” she asked, reclaiming his attention.

  Caleb shrugged. “She’s around somewhere. Don’t worry, the adults all watch out for the kids. They’ll be okay.”

  Nodding, she continued to toy with her food, and he realized she hadn’t eaten anything. “It might not be fancy, but it’s not poisoned you know.”

  She threw him an annoyed frown. “Will you please stop trying to make me into a snob? I’m just not very hungry, that’s all.”

  “That’s not the point.” He didn’t like the second prickle of guilt her words conjured. Devil take it, she was just being too sensitive. He was careful, though, to moderate his tone as he continued. “You’re going to insult these people if you don’t eat something. It’s their wedding gift to us.”

  She looked like she wanted to say more, but they were interrupted just then as three women approached.

  Caleb stifled a groan as he recognized Foxberry’s social elite and the town’s biggest gossips. “Good afternoon, ladies.”

  “Afternoon, Caleb. We haven’t had an opportunity to meet your new bride yet, and we wanted to welcome her to Foxberry.” The speaker’s sharp eyes stared at Elthia’s dress with avid envy.

  As Caleb helped Elthia rise, he felt an urge to protect her. He balanced his plate in one hand and rested the other on the small of her back.
“Elthia, this is Wilhelmina Dawson. Her husband owns Dawson’s Mercantile. On her left is Faith Legate, wife of our banker. And this is Ida Starkey, wife of Foxberry’s mayor and owner of the smithy.”

  He shifted a tiny bit closer to her. “Ladies, this is my wife, Elthia Sinclare Tanner.”

  Elthia warily studied the ladies before her. They bore the look of a stern judge and jury of the social variety.

  Mrs. Dawson smiled brightly. “I hope there’s nothing wrong with your food, my dear. I notice you haven’t eaten much.”

  Elthia returned her smile with a brighter one. “Not at all. I’ve spent so much time looking around and asking questions, that I haven’t paused to eat. But it all looks and smells delicious.”

  “The yams are from Ida.” Mrs. Dawson indicated the birdlike woman to her right. “I’m sure you’ll find them quite tasty.”

  Ida Starkey chimed in on cue. “And the corn relish is Wilhelmina’s. She’s won blue ribbons at the county fair with it.”

  Elthia gamely took a bite of each, then heaped eloquent compliments on the ladies as to the fare’s delectability.

  Mrs. Dawson nodded. “Glad you like it. Now, don’t you let us keep you from your meal. Just go on and eat while we chat.”

  Elthia tried to hold a smile as her stomach rebelled against the bites she’d already taken. She nibbled on a bit of bread.

  Mrs. Dawson flashed another insincere smile. “We were all saying what a lovely ceremony it was, dear. I hope you weren’t too upset when that darling dog of yours disrupted everything.”

  Elthia lowered her plate, trying to avoid the smells. It didn’t work. “Not at all,” she responded, trying to make it through the conversation by sheer willpower. “The ceremony was over anyway, and Poppy is like part of the family to me.”

  “How refreshing.” But Mrs. Dawson’s expression let everyone know she thought this was a decidedly odd attitude. Then she changed the subject. “Your gown is gorgeous. Is that—”