Chapter Four
It was April twenty ninth when Titus presented Donna with the small silver tray he delivered mail with, a single letter upon it. She took the letter and waved him from the room, pleased to see that it was from the rancher in Texas. Once she was alone, she opened the letter and was pleased to see a train ticket, and a small sum of money folded inside the single page of the letter.
Dear Runa,
I hope I am not improper with my use of your given name, but as we are to be married I thought it was appropriate. I won’t be able to call you Miss Freydis for much longer, and calling my own wife Mrs. Rogers would be a bit too formal. I hope you will call me Steven or Steve instead of Mr. Rogers for the same reason.
Bucky told me that I shouldn’t dance around something so important, so I’ll say it straight. Yes, I want to marry you. I think you will make a fine addition to our family here.
Enclosed is a train ticket and some spending money for food during your journey. You should arrive in Amaranto Springs on the first of June. I hope your employers won’t mind you leaving a few days early, but the first was the best day for me to meet you in town and us to be married.
I look forward to meeting you, and showing you your new home.
Yours,
Steve Rogers
Donna inspected the ticket with a frown. The train would leave on Thursday, May 22, which was cutting it a bit close, but would be fine for her plans. She tucked the letter and ticket away, before ringing for a servant. Titus was the one to enter, and she barely spared him a glance when he entered.
“May I be of service, Missus Rumlow?”
“I need to speak to Runa. Send her in, and see that we are not disturbed.”
A flicker of what was possibly worry flashed over Titus’ features, but he smoothed out his expression before she could notice.
“Of course, Missus Rumlow.” He withdrew from the room, and several minutes later Runa entered, shutting the door behind her.
“You sent for me, Missus Rumlow?” She asked after giving Donna a curtsy.
“Yes. I want to speak to you regarding your future, my dear.”
Runa frowned slightly, puzzled. “My future, Missus Rumlow?”
“You have been in our employ for nine years now. Your service to this household has been exemplary, save for certain incidents regarding Mister Brock, which I will attribute to youthful indiscretion.” Runa felt her cheeks burn at mention of that. She hadn’t thought that Missus Rumlow had known about the trouble with Brock, but it made sense that her husband would tell her. What didn’t make sense was that she had kept quiet about it for so long. “You have grown into a fine young woman, and are a credit to this household, but I am afraid your services will no longer be needed here. You will be needed elsewhere.”
Runa felt the color drain from her face, the heat turning to ice. There was a lump in her stomach and it felt as if a band were tightening around her lungs. She was being sent to Mister Brock’s household after his marriage, she knew it.
“Please, Missus Rumlow, I-”
Donna waved a hand dismissively. “I answered an advertisement for a mail order bride in your name. The man has written back, and agreed to take you as a wife. You will be leaving for Texas at the end of May.”
The band around Runa’s lungs tightened and she felt as if she was suffocating, and as if she would faint.
“I… I don’t want to go to Texas.” She said in a very small voice.
“Well you do not have a choice in the matter. You will be going to Texas and marrying this rancher.” Donna frowned at her. “To make the situation easier on you, I am going to provide you with the means to fashion a new wardrobe, as your work dresses will not be suitable for your new life. Tomorrow we will go to my dressmaker and have two fine dresses made for Sunday best. You will be able to use one as your wedding dress, no doubt. I will also provide enough fabric for three new day dresses, a bolt of muslin, and two additional bolts of fine cambric for your nightwear and undergarments, as well as all the thread and notions you will need to complete the garments. And should I receive word that you did not reach Texas and wed this man, which I will, I will hire a Pinkerton Agent to find you and arrest you for theft. Is that clear?”
Runa could only stare at her mistress.
“I asked you a question, girl.” Donna snapped at her. “I ask, is that clear?”
“Yes, Missus Rumlow.” Runa managed to squeeze the words out somehow, though the actual how was a mystery to her.
“Very good. You may tell the other servants, but my husband and son are not to know of your impending nuptials or your departure. If they hear so much as a whiff of a rumor, the consequences will be dire. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Missus Rumlow.” Runa hesitated, “May… May I see the letters he sent? So I can learn more about him before I go?”
Missus Rumlow frowned. “I was going to give them to you to read on the train, but I suppose giving them to you now will not hurt.” She turned back to her writing desk, pulling out the letters, though she kept the train ticket and the money… Just in case. “Here, girl.” She said, holding the letters out to Runa, who stepped forward and took them with trembling hands.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Dismissed.”
Runa turned and headed for the kitchen, feeling numb, sticking the letters into her apron pocket. When she stepped inside, Titus was conferring with Iris, and Polly was nowhere to be seen.
Titus frowned upon seeing Runa. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What happened?” He asked, moving to her and guiding her into a chair at the kitchen table.
“I’m leaving to get married at the end of next month.” She said quietly. Iris gasped, excited, but Titus frowned. Something wasn’t right.
“And what did Missus Rumlow say?” He asked gently. Runa looked up at him, still rather shocked.
“That I am leaving to get married at the end of next month. I haven’t even sent off any letters… But, well, she did. In my name.”
Titus’ jaw tightened, his lips forming a thin line of displeasure, while Iris gaped at her.
“I’ll be leaving at the end of May. Mister Brock and Mister Rumlow are not to hear anything about it, or there will be consequences.” Runa looked down at her hands. “She knew about what happened with Mister Brock. I guess that’s why she’s sending me away before he gets married.”
“She could have just fired you.” Titus grumped, before sighing. “I’m sorry, Runa.” He took one of her hands, “Is there anything we can do?”
She shook her head. “Missus Rumlow is taking me to the dressmaker tomorrow. She said she’ll pay for new dresses.” She managed a weak smile, trying to look on the bright side of things. “At least I’ll have a nice dress to be married in.”
“You’ll need to do a fair amount of sewing to have some sort of a trousseau to take into your marriage.” Iris frowned. “And we’ll need to get you a trunk.”
“I have two cedar trunks in my room with things that we managed to save from the fire that took my uncle.” Runa ventured. “It isn’t much, some quilts and books and things. A few pictures. I haven’t looked through them in years.”
“Anything cloth in them is probably due for a good scrubbing. You can do that when you do the rest of the laundry next Monday. And then we can pack everything in lavender.” Iris decided. “I can help you start going through the trunks tonight, if you would like.”
Runa’s smile became a bit more real as shock ebbed from her, replaced by the warmth of the other woman’s caring. “I would like that.” She took a breath, “And… I think I will like to be married. It will be an adventure, at least.”
“That’s the spirit.” Titus smiled, before sighing as a bell rang. “Back to work, all of us. We can help plan once work has been completed.”
The rest of the day was a busy one, but Runa was able to finish her work and retire by ten. She and Iris spent a pleasant half hour going through the trunks, pulling out three old quilts; two made by Runa’s grandmother back in Norway and sent to America with her sons, and one whose provenance was unknown. Runa liked to think her mother had made it, but Elisse had been a debutante and a lady; it was doubtful that she had ever made something as useful as a quilt.
Afterwards, when Iris had crept away to find her own bed, Runa washed and changed into her nightgown before combing out her hair and braiding it for the night as she always did. Then she retrieved the letters from her apron pocket. She settled into bed, and read through the first letter. She was smiling by the end of it, feeling reassured. He seemed like a kind man, and that was the important thing. And he clearly valued friendship, and the bonds of family.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible, she reasoned as she picked up the second letter and began to read.