At the end of the service, Autumn slipped back into her room before Mrs. Henderson saw her. Pastor Jacob had told no one that she was staying at the church and she was grateful for that. Just those few close calls were enough to limit her time outside the church and at services on Sunday.

  She was washing the church linens when Pastor Jacob came out, holding a piece of paper. “Good morning, Autumn,” he said with a bright smile.

  “Good morning, Pastor Barnes!” she said brightly. She pulled her hands out of the bucket and wiped them on her apron. “How are you this morning?”

  “I’m doing fine. It’s such a beautiful day,” he said, as he looked around. They were in the back of the church, next to a tree. Autumn had started to spend time out here, as she enjoyed the calming atmosphere.

  “It is beautiful. The weather is lovely,” she said with a smile. She looked at the paper he was holding in his hands. “What is that?” she asked, before she instantly regretted it. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t pry,” she said, as she went back to washing the cloth in the bucket.

  “Oh no, it’s nothing of the sort,” he said, waving away her inquiry. “Actually, I’ve come out to talk to you about this,” he said, as he pointed at the paper which now, she realized, was a letter.

  “What is it?” she asked, now curious.

  “I think it would be best if we discussed this in the church,” he said, as he motioned to the door he came through.

  She gave him a quizzical look before taking her hands out of the water bucket and once again, drying them on her apron. She stood up and followed him back into the church. Once inside, he went to sit in the farthest pew. She took the space next to him. “What is it?” she asked, feeling an unwelcome foreboding in her chest. The letter didn’t seem like it was going to be a good thing.

  “I just got a letter from my brother,” he said, with a serious look on his face.

  Autumn knew Pastor Barnes had a brother, but only through passing conversations that she had overheard. “You have a brother?” she asked, for clarification.

  “Yes; he lives in Montana. A nice little town in the hills.”

  “Oh! Then you must miss him,” she said, trying to gauge how beloved this brother was.

  “Yes, quite a bit. He left Philadelphia about ten years ago. He’s a pastor, just like me. He received God’s call, telling him to make his way out west. We write each other quite a bit, though” he said, as he looked down at the letter with a smile. He seemed to be very proud of him. “It seems that he is in quite the dilemma.”

  “What would that be?” she asked, wanting to see if she could help. Pastor Jacob had done so much for her; if there was any way she could repay the kindness, she would do whatever she could.

  “Well, it seems that he is in a bit of a bind. His congregation is pressuring him to get married, to set a good example for the town. It seems as if there aren’t many married people,” he said, scratching his head. “I was thinking that maybe this would help your problems as well.”

  Still a little confused, she turned her head to the side questioningly. “How would this help me?”

  “I thought that maybe you would be interested in being his bride?”

  She waited to hear that this was a joke, though in the short time she had come to know Pastor Barnes, he was not one to joke about anything. She stared forward, as if willing the ground to swallow her, so she wouldn’t have to respond. After a few intense minutes, Pastor Barnes touched her arm, willing her to look at him. “Autumn?” he asked.

  “You want to me to marry someone I don’t know?” she asked, her words coming out harsher than she intended them to.

  “I think it would be ideal. You need a place to stay, long term. As much as I enjoy the help around the church, it’s not a good place for a young woman to live in. You need to have something more stable. I think this would be the right fit for you.”

  “But I don’t know if I want to leave,” she said. She had never been outside of Philadelphia before. It was her home. It was where her family was, even if they were not among the living anymore. To travel so far away? She didn’t know if she could handle the trip. “This is the only place I know. This is home.”

  “Autumn, home is where you make it. It’s not a city, it’s a place in your heart that you can take with you anywhere. This,” he said, as he pointed around at the church, “isn’t much of a home.”

  “But it’s home to you?” she questioned.

  “Yes, it is where I feel most at peace. But I know for you it’s not. And I think you know that too.”

  “I just don’t understand why you are trying to get rid of me. Did I do something to offend you?” she asked, trying to will the tears from her eyes.

  “No, my dear child,” he said, as he leaned into her, grasping her by the shoulders to pull her in for a hug. “You have been a delight. And I know I am going to miss you. But we both knew you couldn’t be here forever. Don’t you want something more than what is inside these four walls?”

  As he ended the embrace and she wiped away the tears, she looked around. She had to agree; she knew that she couldn’t have stayed there forever. There was the constant fear of getting caught by her Aunt and Uncle. She would never be able to rid herself of that feeling if she stayed. She would be looking over her shoulder, wondering if this was the day when they would take her away.

  She also had no means of living. She only had the few clothes she was given and the last bits of jewelry that she had sewn into her coat before she left. Even if she sold the jewelry, she now knew it would never be enough to give her a new life.

  “You truly believe this is the best for me?” she asked.

  “Yes, I do,” he said with a smile.

  She wanted to tease him and ask if he had consulted God, but she decided not to. In her talks with him, she had learned of his intense relationship with the Father Almighty.

  “What would I have to do?” she asked. She had never thought about getting married. Even as a young girl, where most of her friends were dreaming of their future husbands, she thought of it as a waste of time. She knew that when the time came, it would be out of her control. She never entertained the idea that she was ever going to marry for love. Now that idea of marriage was coming to fruition.

  “There is a family I know, that is willing to sponsor you.”

  “A family?” she asked.

  “Yes, a family I know very well. They were the employers of a woman that used to live here; she was a loyal servant to God,” he said. “She followed this path and ended up moving to Montana. Actually, in the same town that my brother is in.”

  “Oh,” she said, feeling a bit relieved. Maybe that would mean she would have a friendly person that would help her.

  “They are going to offer you an allowance for clothing you would need for the trip and they are to serve as witnesses,” he said.

  “Witnesses?”

  “Yes; my brother is asking for a proxy marriage.”

  “A proxy marriage?” She wasn’t sure what he meant, as her mind was trying to decipher the foreign phrase. When she realized what he was referring to, she stood up with a jolt. “You mean I am to be married to him before I meet him?”

  Pastor Jacob frowned. “Why yes, is this a problem?”

  She gave a sharp intake of breath. Marrying a man without meeting him first? This was more than she could take. “I’m not sure now. I don’t know if I want to do this,” she said, worry filling her stomach. What if he was hideous? She didn’t want to tell Pastor Barnes her worst fears. She realized her feelings were superficial. Though, as she was looking at Pastor Barnes, she could see that he was once handsome, possibly when he was younger. Now she worried how old this man was, if he was his brother.

  “I can promise you that every thought in your head is more extreme than necessary,” he said, as he stood up to face her. “I would never allow you to do something that I didn’t think was right. Do you trust me?”

  “Of course,” she said. And truly, she did. He had always been honest with her and had done everything he could to help her. She could see it in his face; it was the same expression he had when he was talking to people in the congregation. This man may have devoted his life to God, but he also was devoted to his people.

  “Then trust me when I say this is what I see is best for you,” he said with a smile. “Plus, you will now be my sister. And as such, you should call me Jacob instead of Pastor Barnes.”

  Autumn looked into his kind eyes and swallowed the pit she had in her stomach. Not being able to find the words, she only nodded her head.

  The Watters family wanted to meet with her, as a stipulation of their support. Pastor Barnes had arranged for it to happen the next afternoon. It seemed like everything was happening so fast. Autumn wanted time to stop, but she knew that it would only prolong the inevitable.

  “They just want to be sure that you are aware of your choice and doing this of your own free will,” he said as they stood outside of the church waiting for the family.

  She wondered what that meant. She was very aware of her choice; she may have been young, but she didn’t think of herself as naive. She knew what she would be sacrificing with this decision.

  She noticed a couple climbing up the steps. They looked very rich. Autumn didn’t recognize them and hoped they wouldn’t recognize her. When they made it to the top of the stairs, Pastor Barnes greeted them with a smile. “George, Betsy!” he said, shaking George’s hand and giving Betsy a hug. “Thank you for coming.”

  “It’s wonderful to see you,” Betsy said, as she turned to Autumn. “This must be Autumn. You are such a pretty girl,” she said, as she pulled Autumn into her embrace.

  Autumn stood still, not used to anyone embracing her. When Betsy pulled back, she gave an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I just feel like I already know you. Pastor Barnes has told us so much about you.”

  Pastor Barnes stood to the side of Betsy. “Autumn, this is George and Betsy Watters.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you,” Autumn said, a small blush creeping up her neck.

  Pastor Barnes led them into the church, where they sat in the front on the pews.

  “We are so excited to meet you, Autumn. The last time we were here was when our governess, Esther, married and left for Montana.”

  “Esther had been with our family since our daughter was a baby,” added George. “It was hard to see her go to Montana when she did; but it was something that she wanted to do because she thought it would be a better life for herself.”

  “Esther used to come to this church,” offered Pastor Barnes. “I had known her since she was a child. Her family had also died when she was young, so I helped her become a governess for the Watters family. When the children were old enough to leave the house and she was looking for another place to stay, I was able to find her a husband in Montana.”

  “The same town that your brother is from?” asked Autumn.

  “Yes. Elijah had helped me with the arrangement. She also had a proxy marriage,” he added.

  “It can be very scary at first; leaving everything behind,” said Betsy. “I admit, we were skeptical at first. But Esther really bloomed in Montana. Her husband, Jeremiah, was a widower with children and Esther really took to their family almost immediately. And now, she’s expecting her first child with him.”

  “We just wanted to verify that you understood what the proxy marriage means, but also to let you know that it could be a very wonderful thing,” finished George with a smile.

  Autumn was grateful for their concern; she didn’t have many people looking after her. She thought it was almost like a family looking after one of their own. It made her heart swell with pride. “I understand everything. I know it’s a decision I shouldn’t take lightly,” she answered.

  She wondered how much the Watters knew about her predicament. She didn’t want to talk about it, in case her reputation hadn’t reached their ears. She didn’t want to taint their opinion of her. “I think I would like to take this adventure.”

  “Marriage certainly is adventurous. George and I have been married for nearly fifteen years.”

  George gave a bit of a chuckle. “Autumn, you seem like a young woman that knows exactly what marriage is about,” said George with a hint of pride. “We’ll be able to offer you a bit of an allowance to get you to Montana and get settled. We also have a new coat and gloves for you to wear,” he said, presenting her with a black coat that had lace overlaid on it.

  She felt the material in her hand, relishing in its softness. She hadn’t had a coat like that since she was sixteen. The gloves were leather and soft as butter. She rubbed them against her cheek.

  “Thank you so much,” she said, taking the coat from George. “I shall treasure it.”

  “The Watters are going to witness the marriage by proxy. So, if you are ready, why don’t we begin?”

  “Now?” Autumn said. She thought she’d have a little more time to get accustomed to the idea.

  “No time like the present.”

  “I – I guess,” she stammered. Autumn took her place, standing at the front of the pulpit of the church.

  Five minutes later she had a gold ring on her finger and she was officially a married woman.

  For the first time in a long time she felt hopeful. She wondered if this was God’s plan for her future before pushing the thought aside.

  Chapter 5

  Eli looked at the telegram again. Jacob had come through and his bride was already on her way to Sulphur Springs. He didn’t give much of a description of what to expect, only that she was exactly what he needed. He knew his brother would be able to help him in his hour of need. The telegram said she was arriving in two days and that wasn’t much time to do everything that needed to be done.

  He didn’t have a home to receive a new bride. In fact, he didn’t have a home at all. He lived in a large room next to the office at the back of the church. It was all he required. Just a place to lay his head. His palms sweated as he thought of what he should do. He should have thought about this earlier instead of waiting to see if Jacob came through.

  It was too late for him to try to find a house for them; something like that would take a few weeks to find the land to buy. And then there was the house that would have to be built. He wasn’t much of a carpenter or a builder, and there was a long waiting list for the town carpenters to build a house.

  He was going to have to go to the hotel, he decided, although he dreaded the idea. Abigail Spencer, the hotel owner’s wife, was one of the biggest gossips in town. She would be wondering why he was renting a hotel room that he wasn’t going to be in. He didn’t want the whole town to know right away that he was taking a wife. He wanted to be able to tell the story as he saw fit.

  He walked to the hotel, to secure the room. When he walked into the lobby, he was grateful that Mr. Spencer was in the office, not his nosy wife. “Hello Mr. Spencer,” he said, as he walked to the desk.

  Mr. Spencer looked up from the papers he was looking at. “Oh, Pastor, it’s nice to see you,” he said as he scratched his head. “I’m sorry I’ve missed the past few Sundays. I’ve been busy around here,” he said, motioning to the walls of the lobby. Eli had noticed that the walls had a brand-new paint job. “We’ve been trying to spruce up the hotel since it seems there are more people traveling out here.”

  “It looks wonderful,” Eli said with a smile. “But that is not why I’m here, though I do hope you can make it this weekend,” he said with a slight wink. “I was wondering if I could secure a hotel room.”

  “My, yes, of course,” he said, as he opened the ledger on the top of the desk. “We have a room available. Do you know how long you would be requiring it?”

  He wasn’t too clear on how long it would be. “Would it be possible to rent it for a few weeks, and then possibly extend if necessary?” he asked.

  “Of course. Whatever you would like, I can arrange,” he said with a smile. Eli was happy that Mr. Spencer was accommodating. “When will you be moving in?” he asked.

  “It’s actually not for me,” he said. Mr. Spencer looked puzzle, turning his head to the side and arching his eyebrow up. “I was hoping that you would be discreet.”

  Mr. Spencer looked a bit taken aback. Eli realized that he was probably being cagier than he should be. “It’s just…,” he hesitated on actually saying the words. “It’s for my new wife. I am not sure how the other women in town are going to react, so I’d rather not have word get out.”

  Mr. Spencer’s eyes grew wide, before he recovered. “Oh, congratulations!” he said finally, clapping his hands. “Abigail was just talking about this the other night. She thought you should take another look to see if one of the ladies in town could be your wife. I’m glad you were able to find someone, despite my wife’s meddling.”

  “Thank you,” he said with a smile. “She’ll be arriving tomorrow or the day after. I need to check the coach schedule.”

  “You can have her come straight to the hotel and we will set her right up.”

  “I know this might be asking too much, but I really need for this to stay between us.”

  “Oh yes, of course,” said Mr. Spencer, with a wave of his hand. “I’ll make sure that it will be kept secret. No one will know that she is to stay here; but I can’t stop people from making their own conclusions when she arrives.”

  “That’s wonderful,” he said, as he pushed off of the counter. He said his goodbyes to Mr. Spencer and exited the hotel. As he was walking back to the church, he walked by the mercantile. He thought he should stop inside and let Mrs. Parker know that he was about to get married. He entered the mercantile.