Chapter Three: Confrontations and Preparations
"You're doing what?!?" Louis roared as his face turned a mottled shade of reddish-purple. There was a large blue vein at his left temple that bulged out and Sophia could see it throbbing to the beat of his heart, which was quite obviously racing a mile-a-minute.
This is not how I wanted this conversation to go. Hells fire, why can't he just hear what I am saying and consider how I am feeling?
She hated disappointing her parents and had rarely done so in all of her twenty-two years of life. She knew her family would not take this news well at all, but this was actually worse than she had imagined. Normally her father kept his temper somewhat under control, but in this moment he was the angriest she had ever seen him.
"I am so sorry Father, but my mind is made up on this matter. I am going. Please don't be upset with me. I cannot bear it!"
Lucinda sat ramrod straight in her dining chair as she scraped her fork around her plate of barely eaten food. She was trying hard to not lose control of her feelings like Louis was doing. Rachel and Joseph were both in companionable states of shock themselves. Louis suddenly stood up from the table with such force that his chair toppled over behind him as it crashed into the wall behind him.
"What in the hell do you mean you're getting married?" he screamed. "I didn't raise either of my daughters so be so damned foolish! Where is your common sense?"
Rachel and Lucinda finally burst into tears. Joseph walked over to where Rachel was sitting and began to lightly rub his hand up and down her back, knowing from past experience that it soothed her whenever she became upset. Rachel was already hormonal due to her new pregnancy and it didn't take much to make her cry these days, but this was a situation where her tears were actually warranted.
"I'm to be a mail-order bride just as I have already explained. I hardly feel as if I am being foolish. I have given this matter much thought and it is what I feel is best for me."
The intermittent pain in Sophia's lower abdomen had picked this opportunity to return. Sophia crossed her arms and then laid her head on them in order to conceal the pain from her family. To everyone in the room it appeared as though she was just upset after having just shared her future plans a few minutes ago.
Sophia had been completely honest with them about everything; from how she read and responded to the advertisement, and how she received the letter from Travis Ewing stating that he had picked her as his mail-order bride. She shared with them her feelings over the whole ordeal that had happened with Jeremy's confession weeks ago, emphasizing the fact that she was miserable being here knowing that she could run into Jeremy at any given point. Escape was the only way out from having her heart torn asunder.
When her father had questioned her about Travis, Sophia could only tell him what she knew about him which was next to nothing.
Well, not precisely next to nothing; He has two small children. He runs his own cattle ranch. I also know that he must have some moral aptitude because he sent funds to cover my travel expenses and he is saying we will be promptly wed upon my arrival.
That was the point of the conversation where her Father started to become livid. Sophia had tried to defend her actions by pointing out that it was fairly common for women her age to be married off to men they did not know as arranged marriages happened all the time.
She knew her argument was weak. She also knew that her father was so upset because deep down he was worried for her safety. It was because he loved her that he was so angry right now. She honestly didn't mean to make everyone so upset. She felt like this was the perfect opportunity to announce her news since Rachel and Joseph were there to have breakfast. Time was quickly running out before she would be leaving which was exactly one week from today.
"Sophia Ann Lancaster, I demand a better explanation from you! This instant!" Louis screamed from the top of his lungs. His face was an even more alarming shade of reddish-purple. He looked downright scary.
Even though she was still experiencing that bothersome pain, Sophia begrudgingly picked her head up from the table while subtly shaking it from side to side to help get rid of the sudden dizzy spell that had come over her. She barely had a chance to eat her breakfast, so her stomach was not only in pain but she was positively famished!
If I had been smarter, I would have given everyone the chance to finish breaking their fast before making my big announcement. Lesson learned.
Louis paced the room, all the while glaring dangerously at his eldest daughter as he waited for the explanation that he'd been demanding. Emotions were running high for everyone in that dining room; each one of them expressing it in different ways.
Except, of course, for her father who was being uncharacteristically volatile. It took a moment for Sophia to finish composing herself.
"Father," She began in a tremulous voice, "I didn't mean to upset you or anyone else for that matter. Please allow me explain without interruption."
"Oh you will be giving me an explanation young lady!"
As more tears began to form in Sophia's eyes and her lips took on a noticeable quiver, Louis seemed to soften his demeanor. Sophia knew that female tears were his weakness, so she shamelessly used the only tactic she knew would work on him. That particular strategy had always worked for the Lancaster women in the past when they wanted to get their way with something.
But her tears weren't just for show this time. She was equally upset from hurting her family with the news and from the persistent pain in her lower abdomen that had been plaguing her for a few weeks now.
"Father, please sit down. You're scaring me."
Louis huffed and puffed before he finally picked his chair up from the floor and sat back down.
"Like I have already said, I saw an advertisement in the Wellington Enterprise a few weeks ago from a gentleman seeking a mail-order bride. He's wanting a woman to marry who would help raise his two children and run his household. He runs his own cattle ranch in Texas. I absolutely cannot bear the thought of remaining here in this town while Jeremy and his new wife are also here as a constant reminder of what he did to me. I need to do this! You have no idea what his betrayal towards me feels like! Father, with this arrangement, I will be getting exactly as I have always wanted. A husband and children."
"Have you lost your gosh-darned mind Sophia? Running away from here will solve nothing!"
"It will solve everything!" Sophia screamed out of frustration.
He knows nothing of how I feel and will never understand. Perhaps no one will.
Lucinda finally interjected herself into the conversation. "Louis, there is no need for such shouting! Sophia is not a child! She is a woman grown!" Even though she was quite upset with Sophia herself, she hated how poorly Louis was behaving.
Louis turned his thunderous glare towards his wife, not liking how she was standing up to him on behalf of their errant daughter. Sophia knew how much courage it had taken for her mother to speak up like that, so before her father could become angry at her mother, she knew she needed to speak up.
Sophia drew in a shaky breath. There really was no reasonable explanation as to why she was making such a bold decision to marry a complete stranger. Her only rational thought was to avoid running into Jeremy and Angelique at all costs. Leaving town this way would ensure she would never have to see either of them again while being able to preserve what was left of her badly broken heart.
"I don't know what else I can say on the matter that hasn't already been said. I was heartbroken after learning what Jeremy had done. I saw the advertisement in the paper and it just seemed to be... Fate. As if I am meant to do this. I had wished to leave and there was the answer. There is no going back. I've done made my decision and the train ticket has already been purchased. I am going to do this with, or without, your blessing.
I refuse to stay here in this town while watching the love of my life be with another woman! Without having a proper chaperone, and being unmarried, it's not like I can just pick up and move somewhere else on my own. Don't you understand that this is my only way out? I don't expect your blessing as I am aware you will never give me one. However, I do hope that you will not continue to be mad at me from here on out. I want the rest of my time here before I leave next week to be pleasant. For us to have happy memories for me to remember."
Even to her own ears the explanation seemed paltry. Sophia didn't need anyone to tell her that the art of finesse was not her forte.
"Fate? Are you seriously saying you believe in such nonsense?" Louis retorted. He rubbed at his temples in an effort from trying to punch the nearby wall.
"What of love? Don't you want to marry someone who loves you?" Rachel said quietly.
It took Sophia a moment to get past the lump that had formed in her throat. "I no longer believe in love. That sentiment is for schoolgirls."
"Sophia, I cannot pretend to understand what you are going through or trying to do." Lucinda calmly stated, "But you are old enough to make your own choices. I know you don't typically make decisions lightly and I am confident you have given this matter much thought and contemplation. I do not agree that you are making the right decision though. I think you are making rash choice because of what Jeremy did to you."
She gave her eldest daughter a pointed look.
"I know it has been difficult on you having to deal with it and all, so I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision. The pain in your heart might hurt something fierce right now but it will fade in time. If you go to Texas and marry a man you know nothing about, you might end up being even more miserable than you are now. You do not know this Travis Ewing person. What if he's abusive? You're going to be down there without any of us to lean on. If you marry that man, there will be no going back. If you give this situation some more time, I believe these feelings you have now will fade and change. I have no doubt in my mind that someday you will fall in love again. That's just how our hearts work. Give this matter some time is all. You're making a hasty decision and you need to realize that before it really is too late."
"Thank you, Mother, but my mind has been made up and I will be going. Nothing nor no one will stop me."
Louis abruptly stood up from the table, once again causing his chair to topple over backwards for the second time in as many minutes.
"Like hell you're doing this!" he shouted. "You're not going anywhere! I expressly forbid it! You might as well rip up that train ticket because it sure as hell will not be used! As for you, Lucinda, we will have our own discussion in private later. I do not appreciate being undermined like that!"
Sophia's dewy tears poured down both sides of her cheeks in earnest. Now she had just caused friction between her parents.
Am I being selfish?
"I don't want you to go either." Rachel said. "You don't even know this man. What if he turns out to be horrible? There has to be a reason why he's looking for a mail-order bride instead of wedding up with someone in his own town."
Sophia couldn't dispute Rachel's reasoning. It was the same things that weighed heavily on her own mind ever since she had made her decision to marry Travis Ewing. She sighed, feeling so deflated in spirit and now low on energy.
My family is right of course. I know nothing about this man. What if he does beat me like other men beat their wives? My father is not that type of man, but I have heard stories from other women in town whose own husbands use their fists on them. Or what if Travis turns out to be a drunkard? An abusive drunkard? Could I live a life like that? No.
Tiny shivers coursed up and down her back as she contemplated those very real possibilities. But deep down this felt right and there was no explaining why. It just did.
"Father, I am sorry but you cannot possibly try to forbid Soph in any way. She is a grown woman after all. She is more than old enough to make her own decisions, even if they are ones that we all don't agree on." Rachel said in Sophia's defense.
Then looking at Joseph she said, "Please go sit back down. I am fine."
Joseph placed a gentle kiss on the top of Rachel's head then sat back down in his previously vacated chair. He decided to keep his thoughts to himself. It was not his place to interject how he felt about Sophia's situation. Instead, he would be as supportive as possible to Rachel if Sophia did end up leaving, knowing how close the two sisters were to each other.
Louis looked as if he was about to have an apoplectic fit. Or an attack of the heart. The coloring in his face was downright disturbing.
"Like hell I can't!" He roared. "Sophia lives in my home with my funds and will obey my rules! What in the hell is wrong with you women today? Have none of you any respect for your elders?"
Adding to his dramatic outrage, Louis threw his cloth napkin down on the table and stormed out of the dining room, slamming the door shut so hard behind him that all the windows in the room rattled on their hinges.
Lucinda cried out, "Louis! Come back here and finish this discussion!"
He ignored her. They could hear him grumbling loudly from the foyer and seconds later the front door slammed shut.
"See what you've done Sophia? You've not only upset us all but your father is positively livid." Lucinda cried out furiously.
Sophia ran from the room, no longer able to contain her emotions. Her feet couldn't take her to her room fast enough under the circumstances. She closed the bedroom door and threw herself down onto the bed, giving into a fit of tears.
"Damn you Jeremy Thompson!" She screamed at her ceiling, "This is all your fault! I hope you're happy!"
#
The next morning Sophia woke up to the soft sound of her mother's voice.
"I thought you might be hungry so I brought you up a tray. Actually, it was Nellie's idea. She noticed that you hadn't come down to break your fast earlier and was worried about you."
Lucinda placed the tray of food on the nightstand next to Sophia's bed. Sophia could feel the mattress shift as Lucinda sat down on the bed next to her, gently brushing aside some of the hair that covered Sophia's forehead; more as a soothing gesture rather than to actually get her hair out of the way of her eyes.
Sophia opened her eyes rather reluctantly. She didn't want to wake up just yet. What she really wanted was to continue sleeping. Preferably all day. The distinct aroma of coffee and bacon permeated her nose, then her stomach growled of its own accord. Actually, she was pretty hungry. After all, she did not go down for luncheon nor dinner yesterday in order to avoid her father.
"Mmmmm." She said as she sat up and stretched her arms out, "Smells good."
Sophia reached over and picked up the tray of food. As soon as she settled it on her lap, she quickly dug her fork into the coddled eggs that was covered in Nellie's delicious homemade cheese.
Absolutely divine! I will really miss Nellie's food! Heck, I will really miss that woman. I wish I could take her with me.
Nellie had worked for the Lancaster family since before Sophia had been born. There was no way her parents would ever let Nellie go. She was like family to them all.
Lucinda remained quiet while Sophia ate which she was silently thankful for. But the second she was finished, Lucinda spoke up.
"Please tell me you aren't really going to go through with this?"
Sophia sighed, rubbing her temples.
Not again. Why do I have to keep explaining my decisions?
She was already having a hard time trying to make herself follow through with this plan to begin with, but not having her family support her decision made it that much harder to deal with. She both wanted and needed their support and understanding desperately.
"Mother, I cannot, absolutely will not, stay here. I don't want to watch Jeremy and Angelique have their baby. I don't want to watch them live their lives. I cannot handle that. I cannot bear having to see either of them around town, and you realize that unless I keep myself locked inside this house all the time I will. My heart isn't that strong. He was the love of my life. He betrayed me. He ruined our entire future! If I never lay my eyes on him again that still won't be soon enough.
I've thought this whole thing through and it's something I feel more than compelled to do and I cannot accurately explain why. My spoken words just don't seem to be adequate. I just want your support. Nay, I need your support even if you don't understand or agree with what I am choosing to do. It's still important to me and I will be doing this. With or without it."
Lucinda sat there quietly taking in everything her daughter had just said to her so she could try to internalize it. Ever since yesterday it was all Lucinda could thing about. She had tried to talk to Louis about it before they retired to bed last night but he was in such a foul mood still and hadn't wanted to be a part of that conversation. Sophia could sometimes be a willful child when she was younger, but now that she was a grown woman, this was a newer side of her that she wasn't ready for.
There comes a time when all parents have to let their children grow up. This just wasn't the scenario she had ever expected. Sophia deserved to be courted and fall in love like she did with Jeremy, then get married. How she was going about it this time was not what she felt was in Sophia's best interest and she knew that her daughter was making this rash decision only because of the heartbreak she was feeling. Plus, it was happening so soon. It hasn't even been a month. Time and patience were the only medicines Sophia needed to mend her broken heart. Why didn't she see that?
No matter how Sophia explained her choices, Lucinda just couldn't agree with her decision. Not like this. The uneasiness in the pit of her stomach continued to grow.
Sophia did have a good point that mail-order-brides were a common thing. So were arranged marriages. However, that didn't mean that Lucinda felt this arrangement her daughter had secretly secured for herself was going to work out. The chances were high that it wouldn't work out and then she would be stuck. Stuck and so far away from any friends or family.
No, how Sophia is going about this is wrong. Surely there has to be some way to make her see reason?
Sophia had mentioned a few times now that she had put her life in the hands of Fate and this situation was what she felt compelled to do.
What does that even mean? Fate? There was no such thing. Life is what we make of it.
Lucinda feared that her daughter had read too many penny romance novels and should never make such a decision with her entire future this way. Romance novels were written because most of the time life didn't work that way. It was much harsher; less kind.
She and Louis had done their best to shield and protect their daughters from the world's harsh realities. Neither of her girls had been exposed to danger, poverty, greed, or anything negative. Only now had Sophia experienced heartbreak and unfortunately that was something that neither Louis nor herself could have seen coming. No one did. Jeremy's adultery surprised everyone.
Never in a million years would Lucinda have guessed that Jeremy was capable of such a typical male behavior. Or had been so careless while doing it. But part of her knew deep in her gut that Jeremy wasn't that type of a man. He had always acted so honorably. They had all trusted him implicitly. Sophia wasn't the only one who's heart had been broken by him. He broke all their hearts too; he had been family.
What had caused him to make such a reckless mistake? With Angelique Milton? It still didn't make much sense to anyone. But the situation happened and so did the aftermath. He made his proverbial bed. It was time to lie in it.
He was certainly deeply in love with Sophia. She could see the complete despair in his eyes the day of the wedding. She knew he felt beyond remorseful.
Being married to that Milton woman was almost too harsh of a punishment. He may have made a terrible decision, but should he have to pay for it the rest of his life? Sophia too? Lots of men have bastard children. Why didn't Jeremy marry Sophia and still be a father to his baby?
Lucinda remembered how tough it was when Louis had been courting herself. Her parents despised him at first. He was one of the handsomest men in town but had no job to speak of. Her parents thought she was crazy for wanting to be courted by him. He seemingly had no career prospects, but she followed her heart and Louis had made her a very happy since then.
My parents had been wrong about Louis. Perhaps we are wrong in not trusting Sophia's judgement too?
But she had taken the time to get to know Louis and his goals in life and it wasn't long before they fell head over heels in love with each other. Sophia deserved a happy ending and marrying a man she never met would most likely end disastrously. Sophia would be so far away from any of her family or friends. If she got into some kind of a situation where she needed help there would be little of that to be had, other than Sophia getting on the next train coming back here.
This is not something I shall ever agree with Sophia on. However, I also want to be supportive lest I lose her completely. If she goes through with her decision to leave, I want it to be on good terms.
Lucinda looked back at her daughter once more who was watching her carefully, almost hopefully. The pain in Sophia's eyes was as plain as the nose on her face. So was the stubborn set to her jaw.
No, there is no swaying her mind. Sophia will do as she pleases, and I need to just accept it. But darn it all if I don't like it one bit!
"I just don't agree with how you are going about this. He isn't even a gentleman you have been acquainted with, let alone laid your eyes upon. Sophia, why aren't you thinking rationally here? Yes, it will be painful being here while Jeremy moves on with his life. You have to remember that he is also very heartbroken himself. He truly loved you. You were his entire world. Everyone could see that. Give all of this some time to settle down before you just run off and marry a man you don't even know! Also, I cannot bear the thought of losing you, especially when you are going to be so far away!" Lucinda said desperately as she began to cry.
Sophia got out of bed and set the empty breakfast tray back down on her nightstand, leaving the mug of coffee in her one of her hands so she could drink it. She walked over to her window which was already opened and breathed in the fresh air. Her departure date was only a week away.
There is so little time to prepare myself for this trip. For my new life. How can I do this knowing I don't have the support of my family?
Then again, it wasn't support she actually needed from them. Perhaps it was just.... acceptance.
At this point there was no way she could expect them to give her their blessing in this matter and she honestly couldn't blame them. If it were Rachel doing something this irrational, Sophia knew she would have tried everything she could in order to stop her.
She turned around to look at her mother and said, "You aren't going to lose me Mother. I might be in Texas, but I will still be alive. You act like I am dying or something."
She laughed halfheartedly.
"I need the distance from this town. Not from you, Father, Rachel, Joseph, Maybelle or even Hank and all my other friends. I need it to be away from Jeremy. You have never had your heart broken. You have no idea how badly it hurts. I feel like my soul has been torn asunder. It would be different if he had married Angelique and they had moved away. Then, at the very least, I wouldn't have to be plagued with having to see her grow ripe with his baby. The baby that should have been rightfully mine! After that day in the church, I literally prayed for a sign. It was given to me loud and clear. I know it seems like utter madness but I feel as if this is my destiny somehow. It is scary but it somehow feels so.... right."
Lucinda sighed heavily while rubbing her now throbbing temples. She could feel an ache of the head coming on from the stress. She disagreed with Sophia.
I do know what heartbreak feels like. I am experiencing it right now.
"I don't know what else to say to you Sophia. Your sister is having her first baby and you won't even be around for the birth. I know for certain that Rachel wants you to be there for that."
That was a very legitimate reason to stay. Rachel was her most favorite person in this world. The last thing she wanted to do was miss when the baby came into the world.
Perhaps my new husband will allow me to come back in December to be here. And if all goes well, maybe my new family would even come with me. Rachel's baby wouldn't be my parents only grandchild after all. Once I marry Travis Ewing they will be gaining two grand-kids as well.
Lucinda remained quiet. She knew that Sophia would not change her mind no matter what anyone else thought. At this point she just had to let Sophia do what she felt was best, even if the marriage turned out to be an utter disaster.
At the very least, if that does happen, then Sophia could always return back home.
It wasn't unheard of to have marriages annulled (although it was quite a public matter) and when that happened it usually destroyed the female's reputation. She really didn't want to see that happen to Sophia. She and Louis had a lot of influence and respect here in Wellington but not enough so that they could stop the townspeople from making Sophia an outcast.
That is not a life Sophia would be able to endure. If she thought heartbreak was bad, then she would really be in for a rude awakening if her reputation was torn to shreds on top of that.
Sophia walked back over to her bed. On top of her down-filled mattress was a white duvet with pink roses all over it that Nellie had made special just for Sophia's birthday last year. Looking around her spacious room, Sophia could honestly say she would miss this room, miss her home that she had been raised in along with her sister, and miss her family and friends. She had so many fond memories of her childhood and life here, but she just could not stay in Wellington any longer!
What's done is done! My new life will be in Texas with my husband and children.
"May I ask when you are you leaving?" Lucinda questioned.
"One week from today. The first of July."
Lucinda began to cry in earnest now and it made Sophia feel truly awful. She hated seeing her usually stoic mother cry like that, especially knowing that she was the cause of her tears and sadness. She gave her mom a hug and kissed the side of her cheek.
"Mother, it will be alright." Sophia said with confidence. "I am going to have everything I have ever wanted. I will be a wife and a mother. Ever since I was a little girl that is all I have ever wanted. I am well aware of the risks I am taking, please believe me when I say that. This is Fate. I just know it is."
Lucinda looked at her with a pained expression in her eyes. "Fate doesn't exist. Where did you get such nonsense from? Darn it Sophia, there is no talking you out of this?"
"No Mother, there is not. I am truly sorry."
"Well, then I suppose there is much to do to get you ready for your trip."
Sophia engulfed her mother into an unexpected hug.
This is a small start. Now if only the rest of the family could be as supportive then life will be so much easier over the next week.
#
The next morning, Sophia, Rachel and Maybelle went into town to do some shopping for her trip. Since it was already so hot and muggy out, their first stop was to the grocers to get some icee's, then the three of them took a leisurely stroll over towards the beautifully designed town hall where there were benches for them to sit on. Finding an empty one, they all sat down to enjoy their frozen treats.
Rachel confessed, "I cannot get enough of these. I make Joseph stop and get me one every day after he gets off of work now. By the time he gets home they are halfway melted but I don't mind. Last Tuesday he forgot, and I ended up crying over it. Seems so silly now."
Sophia and Maybelle both chuckled. Rachel had been more moody and was easily given to fits of tears whether she was happy or sad. Sometimes both.
"I think I would do the same if I were expecting too." Maybelle chimed in. "Heck, I am not even pregnant, and I am now contemplating making Hank get me one when he gets off work. What a wonderful idea Rachel!"
Sophia smiled wistfully.
I am going to miss these two women dearly! Once I arrive in Texas I'm not going to know anyone. I won't even know the man I am to marry. But that will change in time. I am sure I will meet plenty of new people and make friends eventually.
The thought scared her. It was hard enough trying to stay strong when she, herself, wasn't even sure if she was making the right choice by marrying a complete stranger just to avoid Jeremy and Angelique. Sophia knew this decision was not a sane one and that she was doing it for the wrong reasons. Or was she? The thoughts were constantly conflicting with one another.
However, she just could not be in this town any longer than necessary and if it meant that by getting married to this Travis Ewing person was the way to do it, then so be it! Consequences be damned! As long as it meant that she would be far away from here and all the constant reminders of her lost love then she would endure almost anything.
From the bench she was currently sitting on she could see the church where she and Jeremy were supposed to get married and the memories of that painful day once again washed over her. There was never any escape with the constant reminders everywhere!
The church was located right next to the town hall and was so large that it could be seen from any given point in that general area. Sophia surmised that she couldn't get away from this place soon enough so that she could leave behind all these daily reminders of the love she once had and lost.
Just then, Sophia's attention was drawn to a brightly colored dress in her peripheral vision. At first, the dress was the only thing she stared at. It was quite lovely. She looked up to see who wore it. It was that damned Angelique Milton, er, Thompson, walking side by side with Jeremy. They were heading towards them.
Sophia's face flamed as her heart began to race rapidly. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
Hells fire! Of course it would be them! Of all damned people, it has to be the two I don't want to ever lay eyes on again! Ugh!
She sat there rooted to the spot wishing fervently that her body could get up and run but it felt as though it were weighed down by a large boulder. Jeremy happened to glance in their direction and quickly spotted Sophia. The two of them locked eyes for a moment, and in that brief moment she could see the look of sorrow in them. It made her heart ache. Without realizing it, Sophia's hand grabbed a hold of Rachel's dress and she clenched the fabric tightly.
Angelique also spotted Sophia, and being the jealous woman she was, possessively grabbed one of Jeremy's hand and held it in her own, as if she was trying to goad Sophia. Sophia's emotions were instantly in an uproar as she was finally able to force herself to stand up from the bench. Her shaky legs did their utmost best to support the weight of her body.
Feeling a sudden degree of anger, Sophia yelled towards Angelique, "How dare you show your face around here! You should be ashamed of your--"
Her sentence was abruptly cut off when Rachel grabbed her hand and began to quickly direct Sophia away from where Jeremy and Angelique were now standing.
"Sophia!" Jeremy cried out. He let go of Angelique's hand as if it had just burnt him.
Maybelle, seeing the crazed look in Sophia's eyes, also stood up from the bench as Rachel hurried Sophia away from the village green.
"So the town Doctor and his whore of a wife makes an appearance. How fortuitous! I've been wanting to say a few things to you Angelique! So glad I finally have the chance to do so!"
Angelique's disposition immediately turned sour, as if she had just sucked on a lemon. Maybelle continued on.
"I just wanted to congratulate you on such a fine mess you've made. Not only did you somehow get yourself with child, marry my best friends fiancé, and ruin their lives but now you choose to brag about it all over town and parade around as if there are no cares in this world? As if you've done nothing wrong? I'll be damned if you get to act so entitled. You're as low as they come. Your actions are shameful! He will never love you. He loves Sophia. And when he kisses you, it will be her he is thinking about!"
"I assure you that when Jeremy's with me, Sophia is the last thing on his mind."
"Are you so sure though? Let's be honest. He would never have looked your way unless you trapped him the way you've done. And that's what you have done, trapped a man into marrying you. Who's to say that baby is even his? That you didn't lay with another man before that? Your morals are quite clearly questionable. I'd bet good money on the fact that Jeremy has nothing to do with your conception! And because of you, Sophia is going to be married to another man and is moving to Texas! You ruined lives Angelique Milton! Done ruined them! And I hope you pay dearly for the pain you have caused! I hope you burn in hell!"
Jeremy visibly looked shaken up; his tanned complexion turned pale with the shock of this news while his pregnant wife looked apoplectic.
Maybelle wanted nothing more than to smack the look off of that jezebel's face. Hell, she wanted to smack them both across the face! Both equally deserved her ire!
"What in the hell are you even talking about Maybelle Shaw? What do you mean Sophia is marrying someone in Texas?"
Maybelle, looking directly at his wife Angelique with eyes full of scorn continued on with her rant saying to him, "Oh, didn't you hear the news? Sophia is to be a mail-order bride and is leaving for Texas soon. It seems her heart can't heal as long as she is here being constantly reminded of your betrayal. She'd rather marry a strange man than stay here!"
Then Maybelle once more turned her venomous attention towards Angelique.
"I don't even know how you even dare to show your face around town. Everyone here thinks you're nothing but a hussy! Congratulations. Bravo! You married a man who will always love another woman. Everyone knows that he only married you because of your baby! He isn't in love with you and don't even pretend for one second he will ever be either! You aren't even ten percent of the woman Sophia is, and anyone with eyes in their heads can see it. You will never have a happy marriage, of that I can promise! You may have set a trap and gotten your prize, but the meat has gone sour and all your left with is a rotten corpse of a man. He will never respect you and I highly doubt anyone in this town will either. You're dead to us all you, you hussy!"
At that point Angelique's face blanched white.
"We shall see about that." Angelique spat out. The venom in her tone was palpable.
Jeremy stole one last glance Sophia's way. This might be the last time he ever laid eyes on her again if what Maybelle just said was true.
Could it be true? Oh good Lord, what have I done? How could I walk away from Sophia the way that I have? I chose another woman over her, of course she would be upset! I gave no regards to how hurt she must be feeling. All I cared to do was what I felt was right, and clearly that was so wrong. What other choice did I have? I did what I felt was the honorable thing to do.
"Rot in hell, both of you!" Maybelle cried, "And may it be a horrible journey there!"
#
As Rachel and Sophia approached Main Street where all the local shops were at, Sophia was sobbing uncontrollably. They could still hear Maybelle in the distance yelling at Jeremy and Angelique. If Rachel hadn't been so worried over her sister right now, she would have laughed over Maybelle's confrontation.
Serves them right! That's the least they deserve at this point.
The two sisters stopped once they reached the road they needed to cross, as there were a few carriages passing by on the dirt road along with one team of oxen pulling a sled with some sort of large metal object on it.
"This is exactly why I am doing what I am doing!" Sophia cried out loud, almost to the point of hysteria. "I cannot see him ever again! I do not want to see him ever again! Either of them! Don't you see Rach, I have to get away from here! This will never stop! My feelings will never stop! I hate seeing him with someone who isn't me! It is so unfair! He was supposed to be my husband. That's supposed to be my baby!"
Rachel finally understood her sister's seemingly rash decision to leave Wellington. The scene that had just played out hit her in the gut like a ton of bricks and she felt positively awful that Sophia was under so much duress. None of it was fair.
If Joseph had done that to me, I suppose here is the last place I'd want to be too!
The road was finally safe to cross, and once the two sisters were safely inside Dreama's shop, Sophia broke down into a fit of tears.
"I hate that man for what he's done! Will my heart never stop hurting? I cannot bear it!"
Rachel looked over at her sister. The pain was more than evident.
Maybe she is right to leave. I just wish she could do so without having to marry a stranger. Why are conventions so old-fashioned that women had to marry in order to live their lives anyway? Why can't a grown adult woman make her own way in this world without it being considered immoral?
She could see how hard this whole thing was on her sister and it broke a part of her heart to see Sophia so torn up. Sophia deserved to be happy.
"Here Darling." Dreama said, handing an exquisite silk kerchief to Sophia. "That man doesn't deserve your tears."
Sophia accepted it and smiled weakly, "Thank you."
"We all worry about you, ya know. The townsfolk and myself."
Sophia a deep breath, wiped the tears away, and finished composing herself. It only took a few moments before she handed back the handkerchief to Dreama.
"Everything is fine. Or will be in time. I just had a moment of weakness." Sophia told Dreama, "But I do need to purchase some new dresses and personal undergarments for my trousseau."
Dreama's eyes lit up from this new bit of information. She was used to Sophia's mother, Lucinda, coming in for new dresses fairly often, but having Sophia do so herself was quite a treat indeed!
"A trousseau, eh?" Dreama questioned, out of genuine confusion. "But I thought, well, er, that is, why do you still even need one? Aren't you and Jeremy...." she let that part of her sentence die off, not really knowing how to say what she wanted to without causing Sophia further pain.
Sophia just continued smiling and replied to Dream's unfinished question by saying, "I'm going to Texas soon to marry a ranch owner there and I will need some new items to take with me that is suitable for their climate. I hear it is quite hot. I am sure you can help me as you are always so wonderful with helping my mother all the time. I will need the items rather quickly though as I leave next week. I'm hoping you have some ready-made garments that will suit my purpose?"
"Why of course Miss Lancaster. I can help you with anything you'll be needing." Dreama said in a sugary-sweet voice.
She really wanted to know more details about the man Sophia was going to marry, but she didn't know her well enough to broach the subject. Surely Missus Lancaster would be in sometime soon and fill her in on all the details. After today, this news would spread like wildfire amongst the townspeople of Wellington.
The little brass bell that hung over the door of the shop gave a little jingle as Maybelle waltzed inside.
"Boy did I give that man and his new wife a piece of my mind!"
#
When they were finished at the shop over three long hours later, the trio headed back outside where it was still very warm and humid. But by that time, dark and menacing-looking clouds were looming in the sky as they passed overhead at a very quick pace. There was a heavy wind that brought with it some refreshingly cooler air.
Sophia saw this type of weather pattern before. Many times over the course of her life in fact. There was a thunderstorm quickly approaching which meant they all needed to get back to their respective homes as fast as possible!
"Since we only have father's carriage," Sophia began looking at her sister, "we will first take Maybelle home since she lives the farthest. After that we'll will get you dropped off at your house since it's on the way back."
As Rachel and Maybelle got into the carriage and settled themselves inside, Sophia gave directions to the carriage driver, Stevens, on where he needed to take them. If the darkened sky hadn't already provided a clue, the distinct smell of impending rain permeated her nose. Sophia drew in a deep breath of the fresh air before climbing into the carriage. As she did so, a few heavy droplets of rain fell from the sky. They would need to move quickly.
"I utterly detest storms!" Rachel grumbled.
Sophia was just the opposite of her younger sister; she absolutely loved thunderstorms. There was just something about them that seemed so majestic and magical to her.
"I know. We'll get you home safely, don't worry." Sophia assured her.
The carriage took off at a fast clip by heading south down the main road which was lined with lots of very old trees that had been there longer than the town itself. Maybelle's house was only a ten-minute ride away but by the time they had arrived the storm was fully come upon them.
Maybelle offered for them to come inside and wait for the storm to pass but the women politely declined by insisting they would get back to their homes before it got worse out there.
"Soph," Rachel whined, "what if there's a tornado?"
Sophia chuckled at her sister and patted her hand. From the conditions outside right now she wouldn't be surprised if there was a tornado somewhere in the vicinity but there was no way in hells fire she would say that to Rachel! Besides, thunderstorms were common this time of the year in Ohio. Rachel should have been used to them long ago.
They could hear the rapid droplets of heavy rain hitting the roof of the carriage. Poor Stevens was sitting outside in this mess trying to get them both safely home. Sophia decided that once they got to Rachel's house she and Stevens would wait inside until the storm passed. It didn't seem right that he had to sit out there like this.
We should have just heeded Maybelle's advice and waited out the storm there! This is absolute madness trying to travel across town in these conditions!
It would be too hard to turn the carriage around to go back with the strong winds gusting about. If they did so, they would be facing the wind direction and that would only make their situation worse and she couldn't do that to Stevens. He was probably so upset with them right now. Honestly, she could blame him if he was. Sophia looked over at her Rachel, noticing the visible look of fright on her pale face.
Rachel's hair pinned hair, with her dainty little hat, was already a mess from the winds blowing through the carriage windows even though the shades were drawn and latched shut.
It looked as if a mini tornado had invaded her light ginger-colored hair. It was not only wet but also in such a disarray that it made Sophia burst into laughter.
"What could you possibly find so amusing with this situation might I ask?" Rachel practically screeched.
"Your hair is a positively frightful mess right now!"
Rachel rolled her eyes and grimaced. "Well, yours isn't faring so well either! You look like a wet dog someone tried to drown."
That made Sophia laugh even harder. Rachel smacked her on the arm.
Obviously Rach is in no mood for my jests right now.
A strong gust of wind hit the carriage with such a strong force that the carriage skivvied sideways, pulling the two horses with it. One of the horses lost its balance from the weight it, which caused a leg to buckle. The poor horse fell over and neighed out in horrific pain.
The situation was at the point now where they all needed to get to safety as quickly as possible. After prying Rachel's hand loose from the arm she had been squeezing, Sophia opened the door to the carriage and got out in order to survey their whereabouts just as the sound of a gunshot rang out.
Her heart lurched knowing why.
"I'm sorry Miss Lancaster but I had no choice but to put the horse down. Its leg is broken." Stevens said through the torrent of rain.
Sophia nodded her head in understanding, "We need to seek out shelter immediately."
"Where? This carriage cannot be moved now Miss. We will have to leave it here until the storm breaks."
She was already soaked through. Looking around she could see that they were not close enough yet to Rachel's house. There was a building nearby but...
Oh hells fire!
It was Jeremy's clinic. The absolute last place she wanted to go. The howling rain was pelting sideways now. They had no other choice but to go there.
Sophia prayed that perhaps luck would be on her side knowing that Jeremy had been in town with his wife earlier, so there was a slight chance they both had the day off and would not be there now.
She looked back over to Stevens and pointed towards the clinic. "We'll go there!" she shouted.
As Sophia went to get Rachel, Stevens unharnessed the remaining horse which was beyond spooked. It proved to be a challenge, but he was finally successful.
"We have to get out of here." Sophia said to Rachel as the carriage rocked violently from the strong winds. "The clinic is close by. We'll wait it out over there."
They both proceeded to make their way out of the carriage. The storm was very fierce, and the dirt road was caked in mud from the torrential rain. It very hard for them to walk, especially in the heeled shoes they were wearing. Stevens helped Rachel by taking her arm and leading her on towards the clinic while acting as a sort of human shield against the falling hail, swirling debris, and tree branches. Sophia followed closely behind, all the while saying silent prayers that the Thompson's wouldn't be there.
When they arrived at their destination several minutes later, the first person they encountered, besides some other people who were also there seeking shelter, was Angelique. She was passing out clean blankets to help dry and warm them up. When Angelique noticed Sophia's presence in the waiting room, she reluctantly handed one to her while giving her a rather scathing look full of pure hatred.
How dare that woman look at me with such contempt! That Jezebel has no right to be angry with me! I wasn't the one who slept with someone else's fiancé and got pregnant with his child. I wasn't the one who ruined a wedding. Hells fire, I am the one who should be giving such looks!
Sophia was getting angrier by the second and her blood began to feel as if it were boiling.
She's the damned reason why I'm leaving town in the first place! If it hadn't been for her, Jeremy and me would be happily married right now and our lives would have been great. But it isn't and it's all Angelique's fault! Oh I hate her so much!
Dr. Milton walked into the room just then which interrupted Sophia's thoughts. He went over to a man sitting on a bench and shook his hand as the two exchanged pleasantries with one another.
A big boom of thunder cracked overhead. Rachel shrieked loudly which had sounded more like a church mouse that just got itself stuck in a mousetrap.
The thunder was immediately followed by several bolts of lightning that lit up the late afternoon sky. Rain and hail continued pelting the building and windows at a fast rate. The whole building shook. The wind's howl made it sound all the more menacing.
If circumstances had been different, Sophia would have been in her element. She loved the fierceness of thunderstorms, but usually enjoyed them from the safety of her home. When things got this bad, her family would usually go down into their root cellar until the weather passed.
The clinic had a metal roof so the sound of the rain and hail hitting it at a constant rate sounded strange to Sophia's ears, but in a weird way it was also somewhat comforting. She looked over at her sister who was physically trembling and breathing fast and hard. It was honestly scary for her to see Rachel in such a state of distress.
"Shhhh..." Sophia softly whispered, "we're safe now. You have to try to calm yourself down. I am worried about you. It's just a silly storm. It will pass soon."
Dr. Milton saw Rachel's distress and came over to see if he could help. Sophia looked up at him saying, "She's with child. This cannot be good for her or the baby."
Dr. Milton seemed calm, yet concern etched his fuzzy overgrown eyebrows. "How far along?"
Sophia looked at Rachel hoping she would answer but Rachel was too worked up to mutter so much as a word. She was staring down at the floor so it was likely that she wasn't even paying anyone any attention at all.
"I think she's about six weeks along. She was told to expect delivery in the first couple weeks of January."
Dr. Milton sat on the bench on the other side of Rachel while taking the stethoscope that was wrapped around his neck to place the round metal portion of it on Rachel's chest. He listened to her heartbeat for a few moments. From the look on his face it must have been more rapid than normal.
"She's hyperventilating." he commented. "I need to get a couple things. I will be right back."
He walked out of the waiting room and disappeared behind the main door leading to the examination rooms and offices.
"Dr. Milton is going to help you Rach. Everything will be alright."
It didn't take long for Dr. Milton to re-appear. He had a paper bag, a needle, and a small amber colored vial containing some sort of liquid in it.
He once again sat back down on the bench next to Rachel, who was still hyperventilating, and said to her in a calm and soothing voice, "I am going to give you a shot which will have medicine in it to help calm down your nerves. It's just a tiny bit of laudanum. It will take a few minutes to fully get into your system, so in the meantime you will have to take big, deep breaths into this paper bag for me."
Rachel looked at Sophia with even more of a panicked look in her eyes. The one other thing that frightened her the most besides thunderstorms were needles. And spiders. Rachel was scared out of her mind so Sophia was actually grateful that they were at the clinic instead of somewhere else, or she feared her sister would have caused herself to miscarry the baby from all the emotional burden.
There's a silver lining in this awkward situation after all.
Sophia was also thankful it was Dr. Milton that was here helping Rachel instead of Jeremy. That she would not have been able to handle! If she had seen him, she would have walked right back out that door and gladly waited outside!
Dr. Milton took a small pair of scissors out of the front pocket of his shirt and cut away a very thin slit into the dress covering Rachel's left arm.
Sophia watched as he took the needle and placed the sharp part of it into the vial of liquid and carefully measured a certain amount of the liquid into the needle's chamber.
The whole time Rachel was sobbing and gripping Sophia's hands so tightly that they actually went numb. Dr. Milton proceeded to administer the shot into the upper part of Rachel's left arm and Rachel screamed out, causing Sophia to wince in pain herself.
Everyone in the waiting room looked over at them. Some people had concerned looks on their faces while others seemed annoyed. One of them who looked annoyed, Sophia noticed, was their carriage driver Stevens. She glared at him hard and he quickly looked away in shame.
With the shot now done and over with, Dr. Milton took the brown paper bag and showed Rachel how to breathe in and out of it.
Once Rachel took over the bag and began to do as Dr. Milton had instructed, she eventually began to calm down. Either that, or the medicine was starting to kick in. Sophia was glad to see that something was helping her sister.
#
Less than an hour later the storm had passed over and Dr. Milton kindly offered to take them all home. The ride took forever because of the muddy roads even though Rachel lived less than a mile away. They could have walked to her house quicker than the carriage ride had taken but Rachel was so drowsy that Sophia highly doubted her sister would have been able to walk even such a short distance.
Being in the carriage with Dr. Milton was pretty hard for Sophia to say the least. He was a kind of enough man, but he was also Angelique's father. Jeremy's new father-in-law. Awkward didn't even begin to cover how she felt.
Both she and Rachel stayed unusually quiet. Thankfully, Stevens conversed with Dr. Milton during the trek to Rachel's house so at least there wasn't an uncomfortable silence to deal with.
When the carriage stopped outside Rachel's house, Sophia walked her sister to the front door and gave her a big hug.
"Go upstairs and take yourself a nap. I love you Rach."
Rachel smiled but was loopy and tired from the medicine so she didn't say anything back. Joseph, hearing the front door open, ran from his study to greet them. But by the time he reached the foyer Rachel was already upstairs.
"I've been so worried! What happened? Where were you guys at?" he said.
"We took shelter from the storm inside the medical clinic. She began to hyperventilate but Dr. Milton gave her a very small dose of laudanum to calm her down. She went upstairs to lay down. She's fine thanks to the kind doc."
"Thank you for making sure she got home safely."
Sophia smiled at him saying, "That's what family is for. Now make sure she takes it easy for the next day or two. Please."
He nodded his head in agreement and gave a little wave of goodbye as he closed the door behind her. Sophia looked towards Dr. Milton's carriage feeling apprehensive as her abdomen clenched tightly and that now all-to-familiar pain returned.
The sun was back out in full force and the birds were once again chirping as if nothing had ever happened. The town looked so beautiful despite the muddy roads and the fact that there were fallen tree branches, leaves and debris everywhere. She looked around in appreciation of the beauty that surrounded her. The occasional left-over raindrop could be seen as it fell from the deep green leaves of nearby trees.
Oh how I love this town! I wonder what Texas looks like. Will it be half as beautiful? I sure hope so.
Sophia took her time walking back to the carriage. She was absolutely filled with dread upon having to be alone with Dr. Milton even though Stevens was there. His carriage driver opened the door for her as she approached, and held out a hand to help her as she climbed inside. Her dress was still wet and heavy and there was mud all over the bottom of it that had already begun to dry. It was highly unlikely that poor Nellie would be able to salvage the dress.
Once the carriage took off Dr. Milton said to her in a solemn voice, "I hope you don't think too ill of me for what I did to ruin your nuptials with Jeremy. I had my daughter and her unborn baby to protect."
He was certainly direct and got straight to the point which made Sophia instantly tense up. The situation was already difficult enough to deal with, and now here he was sitting there trying to explain himself.
This is exactly what I was hoping to avoid! Damn these dratted tears!
"I know you will most likely not understand why I did what I've done. One day when you have children of your own, you will. Parents want to protect their children at any and all costs. I'm sorry that you were the one to be caught up in such a less-than desirable situation. I have always admired and respected your father immensely. I can only say how awful I feel and how sorry I truly am. If truth be told, I know he loves and misses you very much. Angelique is my daughter, however, even I agree that she made a poor choice by doing what she did with him. I felt like my future grandchild needed a real chance at life. I know it has been hard on you. I can only pray that you find happiness again someday, and that perhaps one day you might even forgive my Ang and Jeremy for what they've done to cause you so much pain."
She took a few moments to digest what he said. It was hard to direct her anger towards this man who had been so kind to her and her sister today, but Sophia did feel compelled to say something to say back to him.
"I do not know if I will ever forgive either of them. Sir, what your daughter did was despicable and low. As a well-bred woman she knew it was wrong to lay with a man before she was married and yet she did so anyway. Not to mention that it was a man who was engaged to be married! She stole away all of my hopes and dreams, along with the future I had planned to have with Jeremy. I do not think that is ever something even worth forgiveness! To make matters worse, since that day she has been most unkind towards me as if it were I who had done something so awful towards her. Not once as she bothered to apologize for her actions. She does not have even an ounce of remorse."
Dr. Milton's face took on a reddish tint as he bent his head down. Sophia felt sorry for him in that moment.
Surely he must have felt betrayed in his own way after having raised a daughter who was capable of such bad behavior.
They sat in silence until the carriage finally stopped in front of her house.
"Thank you Doctor Milton for your kindness today. I truly appreciate everything you have done to help us."
Sophia hustled out of the carriage as quickly as she could. He watched her leave with a tremulous smile that played upon his lips and tears of guilt that filled his eyes. No woman deserved what Angelique had done. Sophia Lancaster was a class-act which made him respect her even more in that moment.
#
END OF CHAPTER. PLEASE VOTE. THANK YOU!
*updated on 10/31/2019. Please vote and comment. I LOVE hearing feedback!!!