An Unexpected Groom Read online

  Escape to the West

  Book 4

  An

  Unexpected

  Groom

  Nerys Leigh

  ESCAPE TO THE WEST BOOK 4: AN UNEXPECTED GROOM

  Copyright: Nerys Leigh

  Published: 2017

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted, without written permission from the author. You must not circulate this book in any format.

  Extracts from the Authorized Version of the Bible (The King James Bible), the rights in which are vested in the Crown, are reproduced by permission of the Crown's Patentee, Cambridge University Press.

  Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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  The Escape to the West series

  No One’s Bride

  A Hope Unseen

  The Wayward Heart

  An Unexpected Groom

  The Truth About Love

  More Than Gold

  Each of the stories in the Escape to the West series takes place at the same time as the others. There may be occasional mentions of the other books in this one, but don’t worry if you don’t remember those or haven’t read them yet. Understanding the references isn’t at all necessary to this plot and won’t spoil your enjoyment in any way.

  But if you do get them, you might just experience an “Ohhh, so that’s what was happening” moment!

  PLEASE NOTE spellings throughout the book are British English because the author is British and it’s far easier for her to avoid embarrassing mistakes sticking to what she knows. She hopes you find the differences in our shared language quirky and delightful!

  Prologue

  January, 1870

  “Door’s open!” Jesse yelled at the sound of the knock, placing the lid back onto the saucepan.

  “I know.”

  He jumped at the voice right behind him and looked round to see Adam lounging against the doorframe. “Why do you even bother knocking?”

  “Common courtesy.” He pushed away from the door and walked into the kitchen, reaching for the saucepan lid. “Chili?”

  Jesse batted his hand away. “Leave it, it’s not ready yet.”

  “Smells good.”

  “I know.”

  “Want some company for supper?”

  “That depends. Whose?”

  “Ahaha. A letter came in for you.” He pulled an envelope from his pocket and held it out. “From Boston.”

  Despite the delicious smell of beef and spices pervading the room, Jesse’s mouth went dry. “Leave it on the table. I’ll open it later.”

  Adam sat on one of the dining chairs. “So you can mope on your own?”

  “I’m not going to mope. For all you know, she might be perfectly okay with it. She might think it makes me brave and even more loveable. Some women are like that, you know. They like to look after their men. Felicity might be one of those. It might make her even more eager to marry me.” He couldn’t help wondering which of them he was trying to convince.

  Adam used one finger to push the letter across the table towards him. “Then why don’t you open it now?”

  Because, deep down, Jesse knew what was in it. The same thing that had been in all the others.

  He sighed. “Fine, I’ll open it now.”

  Picking up the envelope, he slid a finger under the flap and pulled out the single sheet of paper inside.

  For a few seconds he didn’t move, staring at it in silence.

  “I can do it if you like,” Adam said gently.

  Jesse swallowed and shook his head. “It’s just a letter. I can read a letter.”

  With a quick breath in and out, he unfolded the paper.

  Dear Jesse,

  Thank you for your letter.

  I’m very sorry to hear about your condition and I do appreciate you being honest with me. In return, I feel I should be honest with you. I don’t feel I would be able to provide you with the care you require and I don’t think I would be a good wife for you.

  I wish you every success in the future and hope you are able to find a wife more suited to your needs.

  Yours faithfully,

  Felicity

  Tossing the letter onto the table, he closed his eyes. It was exactly what he’d been expecting, but it still hurt. Every time it happened, it hurt.

  There was a rustle of paper as Adam picked up the letter. “The care you require? More suited to your needs? You explained, didn’t you?”

  Despite all his best efforts, a trace of bitterness still crept into Jesse’s voice. “What do you think?”

  “I think... I think you should look at this as a good thing.” His voice took on an overly cheery quality. “You don’t want a woman who clearly needs help tying her own shoelaces.”

  Jesse snorted a laugh and opened his eyes.

  Adam stuffed the letter back into its envelope, squashed it into a ball, and launched it at the wastepaper basket just visible beside Jesse’s desk in the parlour across the hall. It hit the doorframe and landed back in the kitchen.

  “How many is that now?” He rose to fetch the crumpled ball and brought it back to the table. “What is wrong with these women? Can you imagine how many old, ugly, wrinkled men advertise for brides? You’d think they’d jump at the chance to marry someone young with a good job.” He threw the paper again. This time it made it through the door, hit the desk and bounced onto the parlour floor.

  “Eleven. And they do jump.” Jesse held out his hand when Adam retrieved the makeshift ball for a second time. “I’ve had lots of responses. I’m corresponding with six different women other than Felicity right now. They’re always enthused at the prospect of being an accountant’s wife in an up and coming town in the west.” He took aim and tossed the paper. It sailed through the air in a high arc and dropped into the basket. “Until I tell them.”

  Adam gaped at him. “Six?”

  “On paper I’m irresistible,” he said, shrugging.

  Adam stood to fetch the paper ball from the basket. “You manage to hide your obnoxious personality then?”

  Jesse fixed him with a withering stare. “Funny.”

  He retook his seat at the table, took careful aim, and threw. The scrunched up paper hit the edge of the desk and dropped into the basket and he grinned. “You need to actually meet a girl. If they saw you in person, got to know you, they’d realise that what they see as a big drawback really isn’t. Plus, I suppose some might think you were fairly acceptable looking. In a low light.”

  An idea lit up in the back of Jesse’s mind. “That’s brilliant! They need to meet me first.”

  “That’s what I just said. But unless you go to them, I don’t see how...”

  “She could come to me.”

  Adam’s brow furrowed. “What?”

  “When I find a woman I’m sure I’d want to spend the rest of my life with, she could come to me. That’s what mail order brides do anyway, for everyone else. This wouldn’t be any different.”

  “Yeah, but the whole problem is you can’t get any of them to
come because once you tell them about your...”

  “I won’t tell her.”

  Adam was silent for a full five seconds. “That is a really, truly bad idea.”

  “It’s a genius idea!” He sat forward, his plan taking shape. “I ask her to marry me then once she’s here I can explain and ask her to give me a chance, say two weeks or so. She can stay at the hotel, or wait, maybe not the hotel, I don’t think I can afford that on top of the train ticket. But I’m sure Pastor and Mrs Jones wouldn’t mind her staying with them. Then I work my charm and, just like that,” he snapped his fingers, “I have a wife!”

  “What if she wants to leave straight away?” Adam said, sitting back. “Because you’ve just, you know, lied to her and got her here under false pretences.”

  “I won’t be lying, I just won’t be telling the whole truth. You think any of those old, wrinkly men tell their prospective brides about their missing teeth and the hairs sprouting from their ears? And once she gets here she’ll be more inclined to stay, thanks to my acceptable looks.”

  “In a low light.”

  Another inspired idea came to him. “Hey, you should take out an advertisement for a bride too.”

  Adam’s eyes opened wide. “Me? I... I’m not sure I could... I mean...”

  Jesse sighed. “Adam, I know you’re lonely, and don’t say you’re not because you haven’t been able to hide anything from me your entire life. You need someone, just as much as I do.”

  His friend was silent for a few seconds, staring at the tabletop. “I don’t know if I could do that. Why would any woman come all the way across the country for me?”

  “They come for all kinds of reasons. You’ve met some of them. What about David? That’s how he found Elaine.”

  Adam cringed. “Elaine’s a bit... you know.”

  “Yes, I know, but have you ever seen David happier? I’m telling you, it’s the only way. How long have we been friends?”

  “All our lives.”

  “And how often have I steered you wrong?”

  “Frequently.”

  He frowned at the speed of Adam’s answer. “Name one time.”

  “The time you said that pond couldn’t possibly contain any leeches because the water was green.”

  “I was eight!”

  “And I was stupid enough to think you being a year older than me made you smarter. And then there was the time when you said that bull looked friendly. And when you were convinced that bees’ nest was empty. And when...”

  “Okay, you’ve made your point. But my point is...” He paused, trying to recall what his point had been. “My point is I’m right on this. It’s been years since Daisy. You need a woman.”

  Adam took in a long breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

  It was as good as a promise. Once Jesse got Adam to think about something, he could always get him to do it. He just needed that one tiny initial chink in his friend’s armour.

  He sat back and smiled. “This is going to work, you’ll see. And I think I may have an idea of the woman. She’s from New York and her name’s Louisa. We’ve only exchanged a couple of letters, but she’s real sweet and funny and smart. Also, she sent me a photograph and she’s stunning.”

  Adam rolled his eyes. “You are so superficial.”

  “Please, like when faced with a choice between homely and pretty you wouldn’t go for the pretty one.”

  Adam made an unsuccessful attempt to look pious. “I’d want the woman God would choose for me.”

  “So do I, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want her to be pretty.” Jesse laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, his mind conjuring up an image of shining dark hair, almond-shaped eyes, full lips, and a tall, slender figure. “And Louisa is very, very pretty.”

  Chapter 1

  “Can you see them?”

  Lizzy bounced in excitement on the seat beside Louisa as she spoke. Louisa didn’t know whether to be amused or embarrassed.

  As the train slowed into the station she stared in confusion at the place that would be her new home. How could this be the growing railroad town of Green Hill Creek? There wasn’t even a proper platform, just dusty, packed earth.

  She glanced down at her dark green travel dress. Perhaps she should have worn something more the colour of... dirt.

  In front of them, Jo hooked her elbow over the back of her seat in a most unladylike fashion. “There are so many people, how do we know...”

  Lizzy leaped to her feet. “Over there! That must be them!”

  Louisa grabbed her hand and tugged her back down, glancing around the carriage to see if anyone had noticed.

  “Oohhhh, they’re all so handsome,” her exuberant friend breathed. “I can’t even decide which I want to be mine.”

  “Calm down, Lizzy,” Jo replied. “They’re only men.”

  Hardly listening to their conversation, Louisa peered through the grime-covered window at the little group of six men and one woman gathered on what she would only loosely refer to as a platform because she could think of no suitable alternative word for it. Two of the men were too old to be among the grooms waiting for the five mail order brides arriving on the train from New York, so that left only four, none of whom fit the description Jesse had given her in his letters.

  “I don’t think I can see Jesse,” she said, leaning forward against Lizzy to get a better look as if that would magically make him appear.

  “He said he has light brown hair, didn’t you say?” Lizzy said, her gaze following Louisa’s to the cluster of apprehensive looking young men.

  “That’s right, but I don’t see light brown hair. I see three with dark hair and one blond who must be your Richard. Then there are two older men, but neither of them can be him.” Her worry that Jesse would be in some way disappointed in her was superseded by fear that he hadn’t turned up at all. “What if Jesse’s not here? What if he’s changed his mind?”

  What would she do then?

  Jo muttered something that Louisa didn’t catch, distracted as she was by the prospect of being abandoned in a town she didn’t know with no way to get home.

  “He absolutely wouldn’t,” Lizzy said, wrapping her arm around Louisa’s shoulders. “He must be hidden behind the others or maybe he’s been delayed or something. He’ll be here, I know it. No man in possession of all his faculties would pass up the chance to marry you. You’re one of the nicest people I know, and so pretty. Isn’t that right, Jo?”

  Despite her anxiousness, Louisa smiled. Lizzy’s constant enthusiasm might sometimes be a little embarrassing, but she was a joy to be around and a wonderful friend. Louisa, Lizzy, Jo, Amy and Sara had all become close during their week long journey. If things took a turn for the worse now, at least Louisa had four new friends she adored.

  “He’d have to be an idiot all right.” Jo stood as the train juddered to a complete stop. “Might as well get this over with.”

  Louisa watched her mingle with the other passengers heading for the door at the end of the carriage. “Anyone would think she didn’t want to be here.”

  “She’s just nervous,” Lizzy said. “You know Jo, she likes to act tough.” She took Louisa’s hand and stood. “Come on. Let’s go and get married.” She touched Sara’s shoulder as they passed her where she sat beside Amy in the seat in front of Jo’s. “Are you coming?”

  “We’ll be right there,” Sara replied, somewhat unnecessarily. They all knew wild horses wouldn’t keep her from her intended. She’d been extolling Daniel’s plentiful virtues all the way from New York.

  As they joined the line of passengers slowly making their way towards the exit, Louisa took the opportunity to take her compact mirror from her reticule and check her reflection. She pulled off one glove and licked her finger, using it to smooth a wisp of hair threatening to break formation. It wouldn’t do to have anything out of place when meeting her future husband for the first time, if he was indeed out there. First impressi
ons are absolutely crucial, her mother’s voice said inside her head.

  “You look perfect,” Lizzy whispered to her as they reached the door. “Especially standing next to me.”

  Louisa closed the mirror and returned it to her reticule. “You look perfect too. Richard will adore you.”

  It was true. Lizzy’s dress may have been a little rumpled and her curling dark hair was always struggling to break free of whatever style she tried, but she had the cheerful, friendly disposition everyone liked, coupled with a natural, glowing beauty. Any man would be thrilled to have her as his wife.

  Louisa had to work harder. She didn’t have Lizzy’s inherent vivaciousness and charm, nothing to draw the attention. She had to look perfect just to get noticed. And she wanted Jesse to notice her. He was her best chance.

  Outside, the platform was milling with people, mostly passengers stretching their legs during the welcome stop. After a week on the train, Louisa was immeasurably glad she wouldn’t be getting on it again. She’d never before appreciated how good having solid ground beneath her feet felt.

  Lizzy took her hand and they made their way in the direction of the group of men waiting for their brides. They’d only gone a few steps before Louisa jerked her hand away.

  “Ouch! Not so tight.” She rubbed at her sore fingers. Lizzy may have been petite, but she had a grip like iron.

  She gasped. “Oh! I’m sorry, I’m just so excited.”

  Her ever-present enthusiasm for life was well known among their little group. Louisa often found herself wondering what it was like to be as carefree and wild, without having to worry what anyone watching thought.

  “I guessed that,” she said, smiling and taking Lizzy’s hand again. “Just try not to break any of my fingers.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Reaching the cluster of young men, they took their place alongside Jo, Sara and Amy joining them a few seconds later. Louisa carefully studied each of the waiting grooms, hoping she’d made a mistake and one of them was Jesse. But she hadn’t. He wasn’t with the men and he wasn’t behind the men. He simply wasn’t there.