The Widow's Mail Order Husband (Mail Order Brides) Read online

  Carefully, she moved her legs beneath her until she was stretched out on top of him, bearing her weight on her knees and elbows. Moving her hips, taking him in, she coaxed him to completion. When he had emptied himself into her, she rolled off, kissed him, patted him on the shoulder, and with a grin on her beautiful face, said, “Not bad for an old shot up cowboy.”

  Dr. Williams Office…

  Dr. Williams told Tom, “It’s been a slow process, and you’ve taken care of yourself. You can return to normal activities. You’re going to be sore as you begin using muscles that haven’t been stretched in some time, so ease into it.”

  “Thanks, Jonah. I appreciate it. We’ll have you and Helen out for dinner soon. Rosa will love cooking up one of her specials for you.” They shook hands and parted.

  Outside, Tom let out a loud, “Yeeee Hawww” startling his wife and a few others on the street. “Come on, darlin’, I’ll buy you lunch to celebrate.”

  After turning in their order, Tom reached across the table and took both of Mary’s hands in his and said, “Honey, I want you to know having you in my life is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you, Mary Hartness. I do.”

  “You really know how to make a girl cry” she said. “I love you too. You have given me a life I had given up on having. I was convinced I would die an old maid school teacher, and now, here I am, with a wonderful husband, a son and a daughter. I’m truly living my dream. We have a beautiful life together. I couldn’t ask for more.

  “Tom, I think it’s time we sold the house in Hagerstown. I don’t see any purpose in keeping it any longer. We might as well sell it and close the bank account that has been holding the rent money since I left. We can probably find some use for it, maybe buy some more land. What do you think?”

  “It’s up to you, Mary. It’s your property, you do whatever you want with it.”

  It’s our property, Tom.”

  Several months later…

  Spring roundup and branding time on the Lazy H had Tom putting in long hours in the saddle. Mary heard him stomping the trail dirt from his feet onto the porch. Wearily, he hung his sweat stained Stetson on the peg by the back door and came into the kitchen. Sniffing the air, he said, “Something smells good.”

  “That would be me,” Mary said, as she put Matt on the floor and moved to greet him with a kiss.

  “You’re going to get dirt and who knows what else on you,” he said.

  “So?” she asked, and held her face up for his kiss.

  “You’ve had a long day,” she said.

  “All branding days are long,” he answered. We’ve been gathering and branding strays all day. We culled out strays belonging to James. I’m going to drive them over tomorrow. Our herd is in real good shape. We’re going to have a bunch of yearlings for market this fall.”

  “We have something to show you, don’t we, Emily?” Mary said.

  “Uh huh,” Emily said. “We have a ‘sprise Papa.”

  Mary picked Matt up and stood him against the wall. “Are you ready, Emily?”

  “Uh huh,” said Emily as she moved a few feet away from Matt. “Come here, Matty,” she said as she held her arms out. “Come to me, Matty.”

  Mouth open, and arms extended from his body, Matt took a tentative, wobbling step toward his sister. “Come on, Matty,” she said. He took another, teetering, almost falling, but continuing on to his sister’s arms.

  “Yay,” cheered Mary.

  “Papa, did you see? Matty walked. Me and Mama teached Matty how to walk,” Emily said proudly.

  “I saw it,” Tom said, and picked up both his children and held them in his strong arms. “How did you do it,” he asked.

  “Mama held him, and he walked to me,” Emily said.

  “That was a good idea,” Tom said. He kissed her and nuzzled her neck.

  “Papa, your face scratches,” she giggled.

  “Give Papa a hug, Matty,” Tom said.

  Matt responded by wrapping his short, chubby arms around Tom’s neck and said, “Uhhhhhh.”

  Rosa had watched the action, wiping her hands on her apron standing next to Mary. She hugged Mary, and said, “dinner is ready.” With Matt in his high chair between his Mama and Papa, Emily sat between Tom and Rosa, the Hartness family bowed their heads while Mary said grace. Mary fed Matt as she ate.

  Chapter 22: 1880 Christmas Time At the Lazy H

  It was a very good year for the Lazy H Ranch. The grass had been plentiful due to above average rainfall and the grazing was good. The fall roundup had produced the largest herd in Tom’s memory. The cattle driven to the Fort Worth stockyards had brought the highest price at auction in several years.

  With Rosa taking care of the children, Mary had gone on the drive to market. The dust and the cattle, along with the smells of the trail was a whole new experience for her. It gave her a greater appreciation for the hard work her husband and their employees put in every day.

  Upon their arrival in Fort Worth, they got a room at the El Paso Hotel, at Fourth and Main Street. While Tom and his crew attended to business at the stockyards, Mary washed the dirt and grime from the trail.

  Sitting at the same table where they had their first meal together, Mary took Tom’s hands in hers. “We’ve come a long way in a short time, haven’t we?” she said. “We have a good marriage and have been blessed with a son and daughter. It’s been wonderful.”

  “It has been,” Tom said. “While we’re here, Why don’t we go shopping? You deserve some pretty clothes, and we can get some things for the children while we’re here. I can probably use some new shirts and things too.”

  “Every woman alive loves to shop,” she replied.

  Surprised at the array of offerings at B. C. Evans Dry Goods, Mary was looking at the ready made clothes for women. “Tom, do you think these would be too much,” pointing to several dresses and other personal things for herself, as well as a several things for Emily.

  “No, honey, you get whatever you want,” he said.

  “Matt is growing so fast, he’ll outgrow anything before before we get them home,” she said. “I’ll just get some cloth and make things for him.”

  “I’ve got something to show you over here,” Tom said. She followed him to a different section of the store. “Have you ever seen any of these?” he asked, pointing to several Singer Sewing machines.

  “I ve seen something like them back in Hagerstown, but I’ve never used them. None of my friends had them, they were too expensive for us,” she said.

  “Could you use one?” he asked.

  “Yes, but it isn’t necessary. Isn’t it too expensive?”

  “If it would make your life easier, then the answer is no,” he said. “We’ll take one of this model,” he told the clerk. Then, while Mary looked at the bolts of cloth, Tom wandered off, returning in a few minutes. “Are you all set?” he asked.

  The clerk gathered all of the things Mary had bought, including some shirts and jeans Tom had picked out for himself. Tom paid for them and asked the clerk to deliver them to him at the El Paso Hotel. That evening, following dinner at the finest restaurant in Fort Worth, Tom surprised her by taking her to an opera.

  “This has been the nicest evening I have ever had in my entire life,” Mary told Tom. “The opera was magnificent. It has been a perfect day, all around,” she said.

  As they prepared for bed, Mary asked Tom, “Would you undress me and make love to me? It will be the perfect end to a perfect day.”

  “My darling, it will be my pleasure to assist you in any manner possible,” Tom said in his most formal manner. He slowly took each layer of clothing from her. When she stood nude before him, he said in a husky voice, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I want to touch and feel every inch of your body.”

  “Please do, but remove your clothes first,” she said.

  The night was full of expressions of love. Kissing, touching, exploring love. They slept late the next morning, and enjo
yed a leisurely breakfast before heading back to the Lazy H.

  As they rode along, Mary said, “I needed this. Can you believe in just a few months, we share our fifth Christmas together? What a life it has been. Marriage, a new baby, a new school, Indian raids, your getting shot. We have had it all and made our way through it. One thing I’ve learned, being a rancher’s wife is not boring. Tiring sometimes, but never boring. Now, I’m ready to get back to my children.”

  Tom flicked the reins to pick up the pace a bit. “Not too fast,” he thought. “No need to hurry. It’s a nice day and the company’s good. I might as well enjoy it while I can.”

  Two and one half months later…

  Two days before Christmas, a large freight wagon pulled into the yard of the Lazy H Ranch. On the bed of the freight wagon, sat a large wooden crate. One of the two men riding on the wagon came to the door and rapped loudly.

  Mary answered the door with, “Yes, can I help you?”

  “Ma’am, we have a delivery for Mary Hartness,” the man said.

  “I’m Mary, but I’m not expecting anything, certainly nothing that large. Just a minute, I’ll get my husband,” she said, and went back into the house.

  A couple of minutes later, she returned with her husband. “Hello,” he said. He extended his hand, and said, “I’m Tom Hartness. You made it! I’m glad, I was beginning to give up on getting it before Christmas. Let me get a couple of men to help.” He left, and returned with two cowboys.

  The two cowboys and the other two muscled the large box to the front porch. “Let’s take it out of the crate on the porch and then move it inside.

  “Mary, honey, you go on back inside and I’ll come get you in a few minutes,” Tom said. The perplexed Mary went back inside while the two freight handlers attacked the crate with hammers and crowbars.

  With the wood crate stripped away, the Steinway piano, its finish unblemished, stood gleaming in the afternoon sun. It was quickly moved into the house. “We can take it from here,” Tom said, and thanked the two men. He gave them each a generous tip and bade them a Merry Christmas.

  “Mary, Honey could you come here for a minute, please?” he called out.

  Matt in her arms, she came into the room. “Tom! You didn’t,” she squealed, scaring Matty. “You bought me a piano. I don’t believe it. It’s beautiful! When did you do this?” the questions came pouring out.

  “I ordered it when we were in Fort Worth. Merry Christmas, Mary. I wanted our fifth one together to be special,” he said.

  It had been five years since she had played. She sat down, flexed her fingers and began to play. She was a bit rusty at first, but the music to Adeste Fideles was easily recognizable, as was Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, which followed.

  “Play some more, Mama,” said Emily.

  “I will, but first, I have to kiss your Papa.”

  After the lusty kiss, Tom asked, “Where do you want its final resting place to be?”

  “It can stay in the middle of the floor as far as I’m concerned,” Mary said.

  Tom laughed, and said, “When you decide, tell me and we’ll move it. Now play some more for us,” he said.

  She sat on the bench and began to play once more, then in a voice Tom would describe later as beautiful, sang, Joy To the World.

  “I’ve never heard you sing in the five years we’ve been married,” Tom said.

  “I do sing, but not generally for public consumption,” she said.

  “Well, you should. You have a great voice,” Tom said.

  “Methinks the man may be a bit prejudiced.”

  On Christmas day, sitting around the tree, sipping hot chocolate and watching the excitement of the children opening their gifts, brought a warm glow to Mary’s heart. It must have been reflected in her eyes or her expression, because Tom said, “Penny for your thoughts.

  “Oh, I was just thinking how blessed I’ve been,” she said.

  She stood, and tapped on the side of her cup to get everyone’s attention. “Matty, Emily, Rosa, and my darling Tom. A toast and a thank you for making this the happiest Christmas of my life. Thank you, everyone,” she said, losing the battle to hold back her tears. “God bless you all. I love you, each and everyone.”

  Epilogue

  God continued to favor the Hartnesses with his blessings. The fertile land along the tributaries of the Trinity River would yield unprecedented cotton crops.

  When the railroad came to Fort Worth, it made that city one of the largest meat producers in the country, Tom and his brother James began acquiring additional land to increase the size of their herds. These acquisitions continued until if combined, their ranches would be the largest in the entire state. With the fertility of the land and abundance of grass, their land was able to support more cattle per acre, leading to larger herds and more profits.

  When the Cotton Belt Railroad came to Grapevine in 1888, it provided ranchers easy transportation to the Fort Worth stockyards. Also, with the railroad came explosive growth in cotton farming. The railroad purchased a right of way through the Lazy H Ranch.

  Mary continued to teach the area children in the Lonesome Dove church building until the Grapevine School District built a one room school house in the area. She taught in the new building until deciding to devote her time to her husband and grandchildren.

  At the insistence of Mary, both Emily and Matt attended college. Matt would graduate from Texas A&M while Emily graduated from the University of Texas in Austin, with a degree in law. Both children married well and produced eight grandchildren and twenty one great grandchildren. One of Emily’s great grandsons was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroic deeds as a pilot in World War 2.

  One of Matt’s sons was a captain in the Texas Rangers. A great grandson would become Commandant of the Corp of Cadets at the US Military Academy.

  Part of the land holdings of the Lazy H was purchased by the airport authority when the giant Dallas-Fort Worth airport was built.

  Tom Hartness died at the age of 83 in 1924. He is buried in Grapevine Cemetery. He was a third generation Texan. His beloved Mary died five years later and is buried by his side. She wasn’t born in Texas, but got here as fast as she could.

  About Susan Leigh Carlton

  Susan lives in a gated community just outside Tomball, Texas with her husband, two toy poodles and Lissie the cat..

  The Widow’s Mail Order Husband is her latest book to be published by Amazon. She says, “This is my favorite of all the books I have written. It’s the same with all of them. The latest is the favorite. I tend to be a friend of my characters, talking to them and listening to them. I also tend to be emotional and found myself becoming choked up while I was writing the scene where Tom told Emily he loved her.”

  She also monitors all of the reviews and comments. She says “I revise my writing process and style accordingly. This is a learning process for me and I love every bit of it.”

  The names of all her books are on the pages following this one.

  She says, “My thanks to you readers. I appreciate your taking the time to read them. As an avid reader myself, I will read several books during the time I am writing. Our kids love to read as does my husband. He takes his iPad with him everywhere and reads during waits for the doctor.

  Thanks again. Now I can begin research on my next effort. If you have suggestions for additional books, I would love to hear them. Email them to me or enter them as comments on the website.”

  Susan

  [email protected]

  http://susanleighcarlton.com

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