Cynthia Woolf [The Brides of Nellie (epub)

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.I’m a widow myself.You’re quite lovely and I don’t think I’ll have any problems matching you with a husband.I have a candidate here that I think would be perfect for you, except for one tiny thing.”Nellie’s heart filled with apprehension.“What would that be?”“Mr.Malone runs a saloon.”“A saloon?” Shock brought up her chin and she stared.“What in the world does he need a wife for?”“Well, Mr.Malone wants to expand his business interests and finds himself in need of a wife in order to be taken seriously by the business council in San Francisco.As a matter of fact, he requested a widow with children.It seems the business he wants to open is an emporium for families and it would be best if he had a family of his own.”“I see.” Successful, that’s more than I thought I’d ever find.I wasn’t even expecting a business man but a miner or a farmer.“Tell me some more about Mr.Malone.”“Well, let me see,” she rifled through some folders, chose one and opened it.“He’s a wealthy bachelor, never been married.He owns the saloon and has a home on Russian Hill,” Margaret looked up at Nellie.“It’s apparently a nice part of the city.He is looking for a wife who can serve as a hostess as well as direct the servants in the house.”Slight apprehension filled Nellie.Servants.She wasn’t used to servants.She did all her own chores.“I’ve only got one servant myself, she does everything, nanny, maid, housekeeper.I do the cooking and together we keep the house spotless.I can’t imagine that instructing someone else how to do it would be that difficult.” Robert and I had dinner parties sometimes, how different could it be?“That’s the right attitude,” said Margaret with a nod.“Now, Mr.Malone is forty years old.He is six feet tall with black hair and gray eyes.Here is a photograph.”Nellie accepted a tin type photograph, very new for the day.It was of a terribly handsome man in a dark three-piece suit.If Nellie had been the swooning type, she might have done so upon seeing the picture of Mr.Blake Malone, as it was printed on the bottom of the picture.As it was she had to concentrate not to let her mouth hang open.She narrowed her eyes, “A man who looks like that should have no problem finding a wife.Why does he need a mail-order bride?”“One could say the same thing of you.You are quite an attractive woman, Mrs.Wallace.”“Men don’t want to marry someone like me.I have children.They don’t want to raise another man’s off-spring, at least not here in New York.Not a lot of men are here, because so many were lost in the war or left to find gold.Those that remain can take their pick of the available women.” She shook her head and pulled her reticule higher on her lap.“They don’t need to settle for a woman with a family.”“Well, Mr.Malone needs an upstanding woman for a wife.Apparently, not a lot of single women of that ilk can be found in San Francisco, so he wrote to me.Do you think you’d be interested in Mr.Malone? I can wire him today.” Margaret leaned forward.“If he’s who you choose, he has already sent money to cover the passage for the woman and any children she may have.You would be leaving on the ship sailing on April first.”Nellie thought about the idea and decided she needed more time.“In all honesty, I hadn’t expected to be matched today.I’d like to sleep on the matter.I’m almost sure my response will be yes, but I need to make sure.” She scooted forward in her chair.“I’ll return and give you my answer tomorrow.”“Certainly.I understand perfectly.”Nellie stood and extended her hand.“Thank you.Until tomorrow.”Margaret took her hand with a firm grip.“Until tomorrow.”Nellie thought she’d taken a step in the right direction.She walked out into the bright sunshine of a lovely early spring afternoon.She loved the seasons, and fall was her favorite.Crisp, clean air.Trees in the park changing color, getting ready for winter to come.She would miss it.From what she understood the temperature in California remained pretty constant.No seasons—no spring and no autumn.She’d get used to it, she assured herself.When she arrived home the children came running.“Mama! Henry pinch me!” squealed Violet.Nellie took a deep breath, knowing that her daughter was prone to drama.She asked gently, “Henry.Did you pinch your sister?”“Yes, Mama.”He stood there with this head down and his hands clasped behind his back.At the sight of his uplifted face, she was hard-pressed not to cry.He looked so like his father, with his blond hair and big brown eyes.“Because she wasn’t mindin’ Bertha.”Bertha was their cook, nursemaid and all-round helper.Nellie didn’t know what she would do without the woman and truly thought of her as a friend not a servant.“I see.Violet? Were you misbehaving for Bertha?”She watched her little girl think about it and then shove her thumb in her mouth.A sure sign of guilt.“Uh huh,” her baby mumbled.“Why were you being naughty?”“It wasn’t nothin’, Nellie,” said Bertha, a short, round woman with an abundance of gray hair that she barely kept secure under a white cap.“She was just stealin’ a cookie.”“Now, Bertha, it was not cookie time and she knows better.” She turned to her daughter.“As punishment, you will not get any cookies at cookie time today.You may have your milk, and you will sit at the table until Henry finishes his cookies and milk.Lip trembling, Violet started to cry.“I don’t want to hear it, young lady.Your tears will only get you more punishment, so if you want to stay in your room for the rest of the day, go ahead and cry.” Nellie kept her voice soft.Violet was still a baby in many ways, being only two, but she needed to know the rules and the punishments were real.Setting boundries was the only way, Nellie could be sure she’d mind.Violet stopped crying immediately and sniffled.“Henry be in room wit me?”Nellie snorted and locked her lips together so she would not laugh.She took a deep breath and swallowed before she could answer.“No, Henry will not be playing in your room.If you want to play with Henry, you have to do what I say.”Violet looked up at her mother, her sweet face total innocence.Her green eyes so like Nellie’s own, it was almost like looking in a mirror.“What you say?”Nellie smiled and Bertha hooted.Henry just shook his head.She guessed when you’re only two years old, you’re allowed to forget punishments for things that happened so long ago as five minutes.“Never mind, angel.You go upstairs to your room and play until Mommy comes and gets you.Okay?”“Okay.” She skipped and hopped and then ran out of the room.“She’s not going to remember at cookie time,” said Henry sagely as he shook his head.“I know,” she sighed.“For now, being in her room will have to serve as her punishment.”“It’s not fair,” pouted Henry.“I know it’s not but you were two once, too,” she reached out and stroked his hair, uncovering his eyes.She must remember to get his hair cut.“and you got the same punishments or lack of them that she does.You just don’t remember.Now go get a cookie and go play outside.”He brightened at the prospect of an extra cookie.“Thanks, Mama.” He turned and rushed away toward the kitchen.“You spoil those children,” Bertha said, with a slight smile.“No more than you do.” She needed to talk to Bertha, who’d been with Nellie since she was Violet’s age [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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