Pony Express Christmas Bride. Rhonda Gibson

aren’t going out to the Young farm, I’d like to stop in at the general store and pick up some thread before heading home. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

      “What’s going on?” Josephine asked, looking from one of them to the other. Confusion filled her soft features.

      Hazel looked at her and grinned. “Philip and I decided to let you and your new husband go to his parents by yourself.” She smiled as if this was a wonderful gift that had just been bestowed on them.

      Josephine’s expressive brown gaze met his. “I didn’t realize we were going to your parents.”

      “I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you last night.”

      “Thomas, I didn’t pack for an overnight trip.” Reproach laced her indulgent words.

      He hadn’t thought of that, either. Where was his head? His thoughts had been so wrapped up in getting them to town safely and keeping a lookout for trouble from her uncle that he’d not considered what would be important to her. “Um, we can go to the general store and buy what you need.” Thomas congratulated himself on his quick thinking.

      But one look at her face and he could tell she wasn’t impressed. So far her wedding day had been a total disappointment. He’d seen the way her face had dropped when they discovered that the preacher was out of town but that they could be married by the traveling judge. And now she had to face his family without Hazel’s steady comfort and her personal belongings.

      Hazel patted Josephine’s arm, drawing her attention from him. “This is my fault, too. In all the excitement of getting ready, I didn’t notice that you hadn’t packed a bag this morning. I’m sorry, Josephine.”

      Philip pulled himself up into his saddle. “I don’t see where there is any harm done.” He turned his horse toward Main Street. “Other than that ragged carpetbag, she didn’t arrive with anything personal to start with.”

      Thomas wanted to strangle his brother. Philip had the sensitivity of a grizzly bear. Josephine touched the necklace that rested on her chest. She pulled her shoulders back and nodded. Her eyes still sparkled with what Thomas could only estimate to be anger or perhaps unshed tears. He quickly looked away.

      Hazel hurried to the side of the wagon and climbed aboard. “I have a better idea. Josephine and I will run over to the widow Ring’s house. Her dresses will fit Josephine better than those store-bought ones.”

      “But I don’t have any money with me, Hazel.” Josephine ignored Thomas’s offer to assist her up to the wagon seat. She pulled herself up and smoothed her skirt about her legs.

      Thomas quickly assured her. “I’ll pay for whatever you need.”

      Philip’s deep chuckle irritated him. He frowned at his brother while untying his horse from the wagon. Thomas pulled himself into the saddle.

      “Of course you will. You’re married now. Whatever Josephine wants, you will pay for,” Hazel reminded him. She snapped the reins over the horse’s back, setting them into motion.

      Thomas nodded. Nothing he said or did today was right. He clamped his lips shut, determined not to say the wrong thing again.

      “Why don’t you boys go wait for us at the general store? I’d like a little time with Josephine before you two take off for your parents’. We’ll meet you there in an hour.” Hazel wasn’t really asking them to leave; her tone told them to go.

      Thomas heard his brother’s snort of laughter again. This was all Philip’s fault. If his brother had just minded his own business and not written an advertisement for a mail-order bride, neither he nor Josephine would be in this situation now.

      Hazel turned the wagon down Elm Street and left the men staring after them.

      “Looks like we have an hour to kill. What do you want to do now?” Philip asked. He rested his arms on the saddle horn and looked across at Thomas.

      “I’d love to strangle you. But since that’s against the law and I’d have to answer to Ma if I did, I suppose we can go to the bakery and get a slice or two of sweetbread while we wait.” He turned his horse toward the small store.

      Thomas hoped a hot cup of coffee and sweetbread would calm the troubled waters of his stomach. He felt as if he’d just fought a mighty battle and lost. Josephine was angry at him and they hadn’t been married even a half hour. Would they forever be at odds? Or was this about to become normal life for him?

       Chapter Six

      Josephine sat beside Thomas on the wagon seat. She wanted to smile knowing she had two beautiful new dresses, undergarments, a nightgown and a new pair of shoes in the basket at her feet. Much more than what she’d need for an overnight stay at the Young farm, but they all fit.

      Mrs. Ring’s goods were as wonderful as Hazel had described. The dresses fit perfectly on her small frame. The widow woman had a real talent with needle and thread. Something that Josephine hoped to accomplish someday, as well. Her fingers were still sore from working on the quilt blocks with Hazel.

      The shoes were a soft tan and had come from the general store. Unlike her boots, they hugged her feet and made her feel like a woman again, instead of a Pony Express rider.

      She cut her eyes and looked at Thomas under her lashes. The question that burned in her mind, but she’d never ask, was—had he felt that little spark when he’d kissed her? Josephine had tried to push that thought, that memory of their lips touching for the first time away all morning. But now, secretly admiring her husband, she couldn’t keep it at bay any longer. Still, she tried by thinking of other things.

      Hazel had said that Josephine needed to learn to trust her new husband. That was easy for the older woman to say. Hazel had never been abandoned by her father, almost sold by her uncle or lied to by her new brother-in-law. Hazel had confessed to having a wonderful marriage that had lasted almost forty years.

      Thomas stared straight ahead. He hadn’t said much since leaving town. Josephine wondered about the faint welt on his face and had to stop herself from reaching up and tracing it with her finger. How had he gotten the scar? He seemed very aware of it, and even now his jaw clenched under her observation.

      She felt more than saw him guide the horse to the side of the road. Josephine waited as they came to a complete stop.

      He set the brake on the wagon, then Thomas turned to face her. A deep sigh released from his chest as he said, “Well, we did it.”

      Josephine nodded. She tried to add a teasing note to her voice as she answered, “We sure did.”

      His face remained serious. Thomas wasn’t in a bantering mood. Her new husband had something important to tell her. His jaw clenched, and then Thomas said, “Look, I’m not sure what you are expecting from this marriage.” He took his hat off his head and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “But it isn’t going to be a real marriage.”

      “We said vows, Thomas. Vows that I have been raised to keep.” Now that they were alone, was this his way of saying he’d changed his mind? How could he do such a thing? Bitter bile rose in her throat.

      His gaze met and held hers. “I agree, but this isn’t a real marriage, Josephine. The only reason I agreed to it was because I wanted you to be safe from your uncle and his evil plans. I have no intention of falling in love.”

      All Josephine could think to say was “All right.” Inside she told herself she was happy that he harbored no desire to fall in love and live happily ever after.

      Tension eased from her body. If he felt that way, then he couldn’t expect her to love him, either. How could anyone love another when they weren’t even sure they could trust them?

      Still, a twinge of worry etched its way through her mind. “Does this mean you want to get out of the marriage?” She didn’t want to not be married to