Prologue
1863
Emily POV
I stared wide eyed as my Ma continued to ramble through her tears. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. There was no way I was going!
“I just can’t worry about you getting your heart broken. I know it’s been six months, but I just can’t seem to move forward. Your Pa was my world, Em. Your sisters are grown and married and I can’t do anything to protect them from this type of tragedy in their lives. But I will protect you. Now, I want you to go and pack your things. Although, you won’t really need them at the convent,” she told me.
“Ma, I don’t want to go. I know that Pa’s death was hard on you, but please don’t make me do this. I can still serve God as a wife and mother,” I begged her.
At seventeen, I dreamed of a husband of my own. Someone who would love me as dearly as my Pa loved my Ma, before the influenza that took his life a little over six months ago. I just couldn’t understand why she all of a sudden wanted to send me away. My sisters were both happily married, living with their husbands on their respective farms. Here in Illinois, the war hadn’t hit us as hard as some places, like Gettysburg. I heard reports that just last month, the little farming community of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the center of a large battle, with many lives lost on both sides.
“It isn’t about what you want. Dreams don’t come true and fairy tales with the handsome prince who rides with you off into the sunset, don’t exist. And the sooner you learn that, the better off you’ll be. Now my decision is final. I will be sending word to St. Joseph’s Monastery in Pennsylvania, informing them of your arrival. You will leave at the end of the week. Now, not another word,” Ma huffed, clearly exasperated with my whining.
I knew that I would get no further, now that she had set her mind to it. The one thing I got from my Ma was her stubborn streak. Everything else about me, from my dark auburn hair and my hazel eyes to my above average height were a perfect blend of both my parents. I turned and stomped back to my room, pouting.
“Ahhh! How could she do this to me?” I grumbled to myself.
A few moments later, she knocked on my door, “Emily, dear. It’s really for the best. I will send the telegram in the morning. I’m sure once you have gotten a good night’s sleep, you’ll agree that this is a good thing for you. Now, come wash up for supper.”
I waited until I heard her walk back to the kitchen, before I rose from my bed. It was not going to be a good thing. I had to find a way to convince her not to do this. I quietly made my way to the sink and washed my hands, then began to set the table. It appeared that we were going to have soup again. Ma was so heart broken over losing Pa, that she couldn’t seem to do much of anything anymore and we had soup several times each week. It was simple and didn’t take much work and Ma could stay in bed longer each day.
As we ate in silence, my mind began to mull over all of my options. I couldn’t go to my sisters; they would just tell me to suck it up and go to the convent. My friends, while they would agree with me, wouldn’t offer any viable solutions. I was well and truly stuck.
It wasn’t until I was cleaning up the supper dishes that I had a revelation. Just last week, I had seen an advertisement in the window of the mercantile. A boarding house in St. Louis had vacancies for young ladies who wanted to be trained in decorum and the proper running of a household. That’s it! That would be my salvation! I just needed to convince Ma to let me send the wire to the convent. Only, I wouldn’t send it. Instead, I would send the wire to the boarding house. Then, I would leave at the end of the week and Ma wouldn’t find out. At least, I hope not.
Chapter 11866Joseph POVSitting here staring at my hand waiting for the men at the table to place their bets is just another boring moment in my life. I used to find excitement in the game. The thrill of anticipation, wondering if my hand would be the one to beat. But today, my mind wasn’t on the game. It was on the auburn-haired beauty that I had met just hours ago.Emily.Even her name stirred my soul. Her beauty stole my breath away. She…“Hey! Are you gonna bid?” came the impatient voice of one of the men at the table, effectively pulling me out of my musings.I glanced around the table. The dealer was to my left, he probably was holding two pair. That had been his hand for most of the last hour. Next to him sat a young buck, who was so arrogant and believed he couldn’t lose this hand. He was still in. Ok, youngin’ we’ll see in just a minute.I made my way around the table, looking at each man. Watching each face, determining the confidence or lack thereof. But the man to my rig
When Joseph came to the boarding house the other day, I was immediately taken with him. He was tall and broad; I could tell that whatever he did for a living, took physical effort. He stood well over six feet tall, and if I had to guess, he was at least six feet four inches because I was taller than most women I knew. I was close to five feet eight inches. He was a good height; I could imagine myself leaning on his upper arm or laying my head on his shoulder. At first glance, some would say he was a backwoods heathen, due to his long hair and beard. But for me, it lent an air of mystery to him. His hazel eyes held a depth that I couldn’t wait to uncover. He had confidence unlike many of the men who I had previously met. He came to the boarding house because he had seen the advertisement that Mrs. Sheffield had placed in several newspapers across the country. Charlotte and I were watching from the stairway when he arrived. We overheard him introduce himself to Mrs. Sheffield. As he sp
Joseph POVOh Em! What a firecracker! I thought to myself as I walked away from the house. She thought that I wouldn’t officially asked her. My mum would tan my hide for that one too! No, I had plans but I needed to get a good estimate of her finger size so I can get the right ring from the mercantile. It was a great reason to hold her hand.I whistled all the way back to the hotel. As I made my way inside, I ran into Cole. “Hey there, Cole. How are things going’?”“Fine. Fine. Say, have you seen this advertisement?” he asked me, holding out a piece of newsprint.I took it from him and glanced down at it, realizing it was the same advertisement that had taken me to the boarding house. I nodded and answered, “Yes. In fact, there are still two young lasses without a husband. Ye can’t have me Emily, though.”He chuckled, “No, I wouldn’t dare. You are a formidable man. You could probably
Emily POVWhen Joseph proposed to me, I was on cloud nine. It was everything I had hoped it would be. His words were sincere and I knew in my heart, he felt everything he was saying just as deeply. When I looked at the ring as he was explaining it’s meaning to me, I wanted to cry. Such deep meaning in a band of silver. But I loved it.And I agreed with every word he said. We were starting new. We were essentially building a new foundation, our family. Hopefully, our marriage and the foundation we create would be an example for our children to follow. A foundation that our children would one day be able to depend on and to trust.After he left, I said goodnight to the girls and made my way upstairs. Rounding the top of staircase, I saw Mrs. Sheffield standing just outside her bedroom door. She was staring out the window, looking up at the night sky.“Mrs. Sheffield?” I softly called out to her, not wanting to startle her.
Joseph POVThe morning after our wedding, I woke early. I lay in the dark on my side and watched Emily sleep. Bathed in the moonlight that was coming through the window, she was everything I wanted and everything I had ever hoped for in a wife. She was strong, had a sharp mind and quick wit. She was just tall enough for me, her head could easily rest on my shoulder.I thought back over our wedding and smiled. When she walked into the parlor at the vicar’s house, I was astounded by her beauty. The sky-blue color of her dress matched so well with her hazel eyes and auburn hair. She was a vision. All I could think about the rest of the afternoon and early evening was how much I wanted to remove that dress from her shapely form.When it came time to remove her dress, I was happy to know she wasn’t wearing a corset. The dress did a fine enough job of holding her breasts up and she had a trim waist. In my opinion,
Emily POVThe trip from St. Louis to Fort Pierre was enjoyable. Joseph and I spent our days getting to know one another, walking the deck, and watching the scenery as the steam ship made its way up the river. The morning we arrived at Fort Pierre; it was raining. Thankfully, by the time we were ready to leave the fort, the sun had begun to shine.I was adamant about walking as much as possible. I must say, that I didn’t realize how rough the terrain would be and so, when Joseph finally said that I had to ride on the cart because of the mud, I was never more grateful for anything in my life. I, of course, would never tell him that.The terrain leveled out slightly and Joseph decided that he wanted to push the horses so that we could make it to the creek before dark. With Thomas and I both riding the cart and Joseph on Apollo, we were able to travel much more quickly. I was happily surprised that the mule, Blaze, kep
“That cunny’s mine,” he growled out and before I could respond, he was sucking and licking my folds as if he were a dying man enjoying his last meal. He wrapped his left arm around my thigh, and placed his hand on my stomach, holding me in place. I think he was afraid I was going to flee. But with the pleasure he was giving me, why would I run? This is what I had wanted for the last two days.With his free hand, he spread my other leg to the side, further opening me up to his attentions.“Oh, I love this cunny,” he moaned, then I felt his breath as he lightly blew air on my moistened mound. I felt him slide his finger between my folders, I was so wet that it was no trouble for him.“Oh, my god, Joseph! Yes. Do that again!” I mewled and threw my head back.I gripped the bedding as his fingers rubbed my inner walls. We had been married less than a week, but he
Joseph POV Well shite. I thought. I looked at Emily and could see the concern in her eyes. I looked back at Da and gave him a look that said I was not happy with him. Then turning back to Emily, I explained, “In Scotland, where Mum and Da are from, it is tradition to be hand fasted. If we had met in the ole country, I would have promised meself to ye in front of our parents because the priest was not always in the area. It was part of the betrothal and after the bans were read and a year had passed, the priest would perform the marriage rites, if we both were still in agreement to be wed.” “But why is it so important, if we are already married?” she asked quietly, looking around the table. “It’s a symbol of unity between the pair of ye. And, since we did’na have the chance to be at the wedding, would ye consider allowin’ us to hold a hand fasting? It does’na change the words ye spoke in front of the vicar, we would just like to be part of it,” Mum asked, her facing smiling and plea