“It is almost too unbelievable. Someone like you being caught with the brawny Mr. Nevil.”
I looked over my shoulder toward the screeching voice. My stomach dropped. “Marina.”
Of course, they would be waiting for me. Surely they wanted to see my reaction to the news. It was part of the joy for them, to witness the outcome of their efforts. How had I not seen them, lying in wait and ready to gloat, to preen over my misfortune? Not wanting to chat, I turned back and continued toward home, ignoring them.
I heard their footsteps behind me, following. “You’re too homely for him, even if he is just a gardener. For any man, really.”
I could feel their gazes on my back, most likely looking down their noses at me, seeing my plain brown dress, my hair that was coming loose from its pins.
“But beggars can’t be choosers, can they?”
Marina’s words sliced deep as they always did. The scars from their countless wounds made me tough though. But I was weakened by what they’d done, for this was the cruelest yet. I had to know why.
Turning about, I faced both of my stepsisters, hands on my hips. They stopped abruptly and their curved eyebrows winged up in surprise. Marina was dark while her twin, Tara, was fair. They looked nothing alike, but their personalities matched perfectly. Ruthless, cunning and cruel. Where I was short and squat, they were tall and lithe, with long necks, perfect slight curves, perfectly coiffed hair.
“You don’t even like children,” I said, thinking of all the times Tara avoided assisting with Sunday school.
She smiled, although it was full of malice instead of warmth. “Children? I didn’t do all this for the children.”
“Then why?” I was close to tears and I tried so hard to remain stoic.
Marina patted her hair and shrugged. “We were bored and because we could. Now, Tara will have the lovely schoolteacher house and you will not.”
They ruined my life because they were bored. I couldn’t take any more restraint and the tears fell then. Both ladies tsked me and each took an arm, spun me about and led me down the street away from the house. “What kind of lady are you, crying in the street?”
Even with watery eyes, I saw Tara reach into her reticule and pull out a piece of paper.
“Here.”
She foisted it at me, but I couldn’t read with my tears. I needed to wipe my glasses.
“Oh, yes, you can’t see, can you?” After her gentle reminder at another deficiency of mine, she began to read. “Proxy marriage of Miss Eve Jamison to Mr. Melvin Thomkins of Slate Springs, Colorado.”
I frowned. “Proxy marriage?”
“You can’t expect to remain here in Clancy, can you? Your reputation is in tatters. You have no virtue. You’ve ruined all that with your fling with Mr. Nevil.”
I dug my heels in and looked at Marina. “I didn’t have a fling with Mr. Nevil,” I replied.
“Of course not. He would never be interested in a mouse like you,” Marina countered with a wave of her hand.
I wanted to have a fling with someone, even read about them in the dime store novels I purchased from the mercantile. If I was going to lose my job and my virtue, it would have been nice to have actually done what was being spread across town. Enjoyed myself. But no, I would be ruined and remain untouched.
“We’re doing you a favor,” Tara added.
“Favor?”
“Finding you a husband,” Marina said.
They led me to the train station, but I didn’t realize it was our destination until we stopped on the platform. The train heading west had pulled in an hour before; the sound of it could never be missed. Steam hissed from the engine and passengers milled about.
“You couldn’t find one on your own.”
“I wasn’t looking for a husband,” I countered. I wasn’t. I was content with the reality of never having one and being a schoolteacher, which did not allow for a beau, let alone a husband.
“Well, now you have one. You should be thanking me for finding you one. Mr. Melvin Thomkins. You are his mail order bride. Here’s your marriage license. Your ticket.” Tara foisted papers into my hands.
“Ticket?” I asked, my tears long gone. My mind was still dwelling on what had happened with the town council, and Marina and Tara were moving too quickly. Talking too fast for my thoughts. Looking down, I saw that I held a one-way ticket to Denver along with the marriage license. “For what?”