Tomorrow's Promise: Mail Order Bride

Chapter Two Good-bye

Chapter Two

               Belinda went down to the servant’s quarters to find some modest clothes of a servant. The trains would not let a high born woman ride around without her husband or a chaperone. They wouldn’t even let a poor woman ride alone. So, the only way to get out unseen was to dress as man (or in her case a young boy.) After digging around in one of the rooms; she came across a pair of old dark brown cotton britches and an old faded and yellowed linen shirt. Heavy work boots a size to big, and an old hat to hide her long hair.

               With the hat in her hands she quickly walked back up to her bedroom. She started go though hl her clothes and took only the prettiest dresses. She didn’t have any personal belongings because David kept them locked away, even her wedding ring. The only time she would be allowed to wear any jewels was to a ball or when someone came visiting. She never cared to see that ring again, anyway. After making sure her clothes were safely packed away, she turned and made her way to her bed. When she put her hand under the pillow, she took out an old faded picture of a woman. The picture was so old that would be able to tell that the woman in the picture and Belinda looked alike. She had found it in her father’s study when she was younger. He never caught her and the picture was the only thing that she had of her mother.

               She slowly walked back to her trunk and tucked the picture in between some of her clothes. When she closed and locked the trunk she tried to figure out a way to get the trunk downstairs maybe some rope would help. She was making her way to the downstairs rooms when someone’s voice stopped her right in her tracks.

               “Miss, are you doing well?”

               She turned so fast that she almost lost her footing. She looked right into the eyes of Bill-the house butler. She had thought it was his day off today. All the servants had the day off when David went to the bank because he didn’t trust her with anyone- not even the servants. She knew Bill was a really nice person and he looked sorry for scaring her. After telling him what she was planning he helped her bring her trunks down stairs. He told her to take a horse all the way out of town and then sell the horse as soon as she got to Lester city. He would meet her there with her trunks. No one would think a thing about a young boy riding alone.

               She spent the rest of that day riding freely on her horse. No one noticed her; before she left the house Bill had rub dirt on her face.

               “You look too clean to be a poor boy!” He had said.

               He looked happy to see her go; she was never a bad master. Just like them she was a servant to David, doing what he wanted her to do and never really being free. It felt nice to be free, after leaving Morris town behind she rode until night fall. She never been by herself not even at night fall. The numerous night sounds scared her and she started to get tired. She didn’t know were to stop and rest for the night. She was tired from riding most of the day. She saw a church not far ahead of her. She remembered David talking about the church and how they take in anyone off the street, he said other unkind words about the church. But she wasn’t about to repeat what he said as she made her way to the church, she saw a dull light coming from the window. She reached the church door and jumped off the horse. She walked up to the door and knocked. An elderly man opened the door and smiled at her.

               “How may I help you child?” He inquired of her.

               She felt a little dumb-how could she hide her feminine voice? Once more he asked if he could help her, but she just stared down at her shoes. He then asked if she needed a place to stay the night. She nodded her head, the old man told her to go and tie her horse beside the church for the night. She walked back up to the doors of the church. She pushed them opened and the older man was waiting for her in front of the church. He gave her something to eat, it didn’t taste really great but it was food. When she was done her took her to a small room where she was to sleep. He said his good-byes and left her alone. As soon as he was gone, she fell right into bed and fell right into a nightmare. In her dream David wasn’t dead and he was coming for her. He was mad and he was going to punish her for leaving him. This time he’ll kill her for disobeying him. She awake with a start and turned over and cried into a pillow until she cried herself into a dreamless sleep.

               She awoke early and made her way out of the church. The old man wasn’t anywhere in sight. She looked around and found a piece of paper and a pencil. She wrote the old man a thank you note for letting her stay the night. She didn’t sign the note but she left it on top of an old bible in front of the church. After words, she left the church and got back on top of her horse. She knew it wasn’t far until Lester City now. Bill was waiting for her as soon as she got to the train station in the City. Bill around found a good family to sell the horse too. When Bill found her at last and then took her to the house of a friend to change her clothes because Tom Burton would be looking for a girl. If she guessed it right Tom wouldn’t stop looking for her, guys always thought of her as a prize to be won. She dressed as herself and went to the train station and got a ticket in the opposite direction of her true destination. Then she returned to the house and dressed to look like a boy. After that, she went back to the ticket stand making sure her hair was covered and dirt was on her face. The man at the stand didn’t even look at her twice. She got a ticked to Sledge City; she had only been there once when she was younger. But the city looked safe to say the least. After saying good-bye to Bill with a promise to send word when she was safe, a promise she didn’t think she would keep as she boarded the train and began a new life.