Mail Order Celeste

and refresh yourself? My wife has been waiting to meet you and give you an opportunity to rest for a few minutes and perhaps change into a wedding gown. We have had a few mail order brides join us over the past several years.
“After you've had an opportunity to refresh yourself, perhaps we can sit and talk for a few minutes to be sure this is what you really wish to do, since marriage is a very large step.”
At last, thought Celeste, the voice of reason!

Voices of Reason
“How do you do,” she replied. “I am Mrs. Clark. I’m afraid you were all expecting my sister, Miranda Belden, whom I expect to arrive within a day or two. I hesitate to ask your wife to put herself out, but I would be most grateful for some water and a chance to attend to my daughter.”
Reverend Joe was near enough to understand Celeste was referring to the odor emanating from Samantha, who clearly needed her diapers changed. He laughed and reached up to take the child, whom Celeste surrendered to him. Meanwhile, Chip had hopped down from the other side of the buggy, handed the reins to his brother, and come around ready to assist Celeste in her descent.
Mrs. Richardson had been standing just inside the door of the church and now came out to take the child from her husband.
“My dear,” she said, “you come with me back to the house and we will let the gentleman sort things out on this end while we take care of this beautiful little moppet and get you some refreshment as well.”
She hustled Celeste and Samantha away so rapidly, that full introductions had not been performed, and Sylvester Hardwick was still shaking his head, unsure what had just happened, and what on earth was going on. The woman to whom he had written had a calm and orderly mind, and hadn’t seemed temperamental or excitable in the least!
He clung to this thought, hoping things would straighten themselves out quickly. Chip finished hitching the horse to the rail and started to follow the men back to Pastor Joe's office.
Celeste followed the pastor's wife, totally bemused by the events of the last few minutes, but most especially by that side hug and kiss on her cheek. Even as an affectionate rather than romantic gesture, she could still feel the tingle on her face and ribs where he had touched her. And of the warmth of his hand as he had assisted her down from the carriage.
She vaguely remember those feelings from when her husband had been courting her and even into her marriage, although as he apparently made one bad investment after another, it seemed he became more consumed in business and less attentive to her. From what her friends said, this decrease in affection was not uncommon by the second year of marriage, but she had missed the warm closeness of their first year, and his loving attentiveness while she was expecting Samantha.
Aware he was disappointed that their first child was not a son, her own rapture with motherhood must have hidden from her his gradually cooling affections. But she didn't have time to dwell on that right now. Too much was happening all around her.
They had only moved a few steps when she called out, “I will need my valise. It has Samantha's supplies in it.”
Nodding briskly at her husband, Mrs. Richardson said, “See that it is brought to me, please.”
The pastor smiled and said to his lovely wife, “It will be with you in a trice, my dear.”
Then he looked at Chip, who grinned and grabbed not just the bag but the baby buggy, following the women into the house. They hurried into the kitchen and on through, into the hall, and into a small bedroom. Handing Samantha back to Celeste, Mrs. Richardson said, “Hold tight and I will be right back with some towels,” and dashed off to get them.
Laying several of them on the bed she then indicated with a nod that this was where the child could be changed. Chip set the bag down on the floor where Mrs. Richardson pointed, parking the buggy next to it, and then left in compliance with her hands which were making shooing motions for him to leave.
He thought for a moment and then decided to join the gentleman in the pastor's office. He might need to learn about child care in future, but right now he would leave this in the capable hands of the women.
For the first time since his brother had proposed the scheme months ago, Chip was actually looking forward to the idea of being married. Up until now, he had merely been resigned to the concept, pretty much following his brother's orders as he had much of his life.
Of course he was in charge of the mill, so knew what it was to be in command. But force of habit from his childhood and lack of any stronger feelings about the subject had prevented him from providing more than token objections when the original scheme had been proposed. After all, it had seemed a logical solution to his problem. He was so busy at the sawmill and lumber yard that he didn't have time to worry about courting.
Besides which, he knew most of the girls and women of suitable age from his years at school, and could not imagine spending his life with any of them. Most of those he would have considered the “good ones" had long since found husbands. Grinning and whistling he strode into Pastor Joe's office, to find the two men seated, glaring at him.
Well, all right, the pastor wasn't glaring at him just looking with a great deal of curiosity. But, oh, yes, his dear brother Sylvester was glaring hard enough for both of them.


Mrs. Richardson
Mrs. Richardson was a lovely