A/N Sorry for the delay, but Real Life has a way of messing up the best laid plans ...
As always, many thanks to my friends and betas, Mandy the O and Musique et Amour - for everything.
Boston, Massachusetts, 1870
"Wanted: 100 Marriageable Young Ladies!
Rich lumber baron is seeking young ladies of good repute.
The promising new town of Seattle is overrun with healthy, young lumberjacks who crave the comfort of a wife and family.
Interviews are going on now at the hotel!
Do you have what it takes to be a frontier wife?"
Molly O'Reilly read the advertisement in the general store with growing excitement. A Seattle lumber baron was seeking marriageable young women to move to Seattle, marry, settle down and raise a family.
Not that she had any intention of doing that! No, 16-year-old Molly was determined to live life on her own terms, which most definitely did not include getting married and settling down!
Her parents had indulged her as best as two poor Irish Catholic immigrants could indulge a headstrong daughter. They were bemused, however, by her strange ideas. Educated by nuns, they hoped she would learn to accept her lot in life: marry one of the neighborhood boys and raise a family. Strikingly beautiful, her auburn hair, green eyes, and pale skin caught the eye of many a young man. She rejected them all without a second glance.
Other elders in the neighborhood tried talking to Danny and Siobhan, telling them their daughter needed a firm hand; whether it be her father's or her husband's. They shrugged the criticisms off, thinking that perhaps Molly was right in rejecting her potential suitors.
Even so, try as they might, they could not solve the puzzle that was their daughter. She stayed to herself, quietly daydreaming unless provoked by someone's foolish or thoughtless statement. Then she was a sight to behold! Although the youth in the neighborhood loved to see Molly afire for some cause or another, all were careful to not get close enough to be burned.
Molly had grand ideas, and being a wife and mother did not play into them. Oh no! She wanted to travel, to see the world, to explore areas she had merely read about. The first course of business was earning the money so that she could set off on her own.
Telling her parents that she had been a drain on them long enough, she applied for positions as nanny in the privileged households in Boston's Beacon Hill. Most of the young matrons who interviewed her were terribly jealous of her youth and her beauty and no one was willing to place such temptation under a husband's nose. Molly assumed her Irish heritage labeled her as unsuitable. She would have been incredulous, then furious, had she realized the true reason she was rejected.
Having just endured the latest round of rejections, Molly read the advertisement once more, taking note of the hotel. Eager to talk to her parents, she ran through the streets, not caring how hoydenish she looked or what other people thought. Bursting through the door, she babbled the news.
Danny looked at his flushed, breathless daughter, then at his distraught wife. Siobhan could not believe the disheveled young woman standing in front of her was her daughter. Throwing up her hands in despair, Siobhan walked out of the parlor.
"Go to your room, Molly O'Reilly. Your mother and I are going to discuss what we are going to do with you. I will call you once we've decided." With a final glance at his daughter, Danny went to his wife.
Anger flared in Molly's eyes. She bit her tongue but could not help but stomp out of the parlor to her bedroom. I don't care what they decide! I am leaving. If I have to lie to get out of here, well … lie I will. Packing her meager belongings in an old satchel, she crossed the room. Stopping at the door, she reconsidered. The least I can do is listen to them. If I don't like what they've decided, I'm ready to leave. A few more moments will not make a difference.
Danny walked into the kitchen. Seeing his wife's shaking shoulders, he wordlessly crossed the room and took her into his arms.
"I'm a failure," she sobbed. "God gave me a daughter to raise to be a blessing to Him and to us, and I've failed."
"Nonsense," he replied, "Molly is a confused young woman, but that isn't your fault." He rocked his wife until, tears spent, she pulled away from him and wiped her face on her apron.
"Perhaps Molly has stumbled upon the answer," he said slowly. "Perhaps this is God's will for her."
"What do you suppose God's will is for our daughter, Danny?"
"I cannot believe Molly would intentionally defy her God by refusing to marry the young man he selected for her. No, our Molly would not do that, even as confused as she is. It must be that her young man is waiting for her, elsewhere. There is a young man in Seattle just waiting for our Molly."
"She will be a missionary for our God! She can go west, and take the Church with her! She will marry and bear many children. Oh, Danny, of course. This is what has been driving our Molly forward. God has whispered in her ear, and like the devout girl we raised her to be, she is answering God's call." Siobhan's face lit up with relief and joy..
Their laughter filled the kitchen as Danny grabbed his wife and danced her around the small space.
"Stop it! Stop it this instant, Daniel O'Reilly. I can't breathe, you fool man!" Siobhan gasped finally. With a final squeeze, Danny released his wife, only to grab her hand.
"Let's call Molly and tell her the wonderful news, then."
"Let's," agreed his wife. "How blessed we are, Danny, to have a God-fearing daughter like our Molly."
Molly could hardly believe her ears. Caught by such surprise, she was speechless. God's will? They think my brilliant idea was God's will? Taking her silence as a sign that she was ready to grow into being an obedient wife, Danny and Siobhan thanked God for showing them His path for their daughter.
Shock served to keep her subdued; thus, she did not disabuse her parents of the conclusion they had reached. Why should I? Why should I cut off my nose to spite my face? I have won. Does the reason why really matter?
John Albright was enjoying the flood of young beauties in the hotel's one conference room. He interviewed each and every one, trying to ascertain her motives and potential. Molly entered the room, and stopped dead in her tracks. She had never before seen so many lovely young women in one place. Had she not been so determined to leave Boston, she would have turned and left the room.
John noticed Molly the instant she walked into the room, and excusing himself from the women swarming around him, hastened to the door to greet her.
Giving her his most charming smile, John took her left hand in his, kissed her knuckles. "You'll make a very, very fine bride..." Misunderstanding him, embarrassment flared hotly in her cheeks, and he frowned, then chuckled kindly, shaking his head. "Not for me, mind you. For one of the upstanding men who work for me in Seattle."
Molly nodded her head slowly, realizing that she had to play along in order to be accepted for the trip. He wasn't aware he was holding his breath until he exhaled in relief. Questioning her, he was dismayed to learn that she was not an orphan. Surely her parents have her future husband selected.
"But, that's all right, Mr. Albright. My father is willing to sign whatever papers you need."
"I need to speak to him as quickly as possible, then. The train leaves at 7 AM tomorrow."
Molly left, only to return with her father.
"Mr. O'Reilly, your daughter," glancing down at the paper, he pretended to search for her first name, "Molly, is it? Yes, Molly, has expressed her wish to return to Seattle with me in the hopes of securing a husband and raising a family. Is this acceptable to you and her mother?"
"Mr. Albright, the wife and I have discussed this opportunity, and we feel it is God's will for our lovely daughter. So, yes, this mission is acceptable to her mother and me."
Forgetting herself, Molly rolled her eyes at this. Her father did not notice, but it did not escape John's thoughtful gaze. Oh, so she's not sure this is God's will for her? No matter, she obviously wants to go to Seattle very badly. She'll make some lucky man a fine wife. I'll not betray her feelings to her father.
"Her mother and I are humbled that our God would choose our little Molly for such a grand task," Danny continued, oblivious to the silent communications between John and Molly. "But, who are we to question God's will? No, Mr. Albright, you'll have no objections from us. Give over the forms or whatnot you need to have signed and I'll be on my way."
John produced the contract, explaining to Danny that by signing it, he was stating that his daughter was marriageable and had his consent to travel to Seattle in search of a husband.
Realizing that she had won, Molly stopped listening to the two men. Lost in her dreams of adventure, she didn't notice the looks of wholly masculine satisfaction they exchanged, nor did she hear John's hiss of a drawn breath as he caught sight of the pure joy on her face. Hearing her father call her name, she refocused her eyes with a start and was relieved to hear that she would be leaving Boston the next day.
Molly O'Reilly joined John Albright and ninety-nine other prospective brides for the train ride across the states. John had chartered several Pullman cars for the trip. His own compartment was in a separate car; he would not compromise any of the young women's reputations. A few of the ladies questioned his absence, but for the most part, none of them really noticed he wasn't around. Although not nearly old enough to be their father, John had a paternalistic air about him, which served as an effective barrier. Giddy with excitement, the young women chattered for the better part of the first day of the trip.
That evening, the valets came through and made up the beds. Although the women claimed they were too excited to sleep, not one managed to stay awake once she was tucked into her berth, the swaying of the cars on the tracks imitating the rocking of a cradle. So soothed, all slept well.
By the third day, boredom was setting in. Sitting on a train, hour after hour, did not bode well with them, and petty bickering broke out. Molly's greatest fear was that John would reconsider his plan, and send them all back to Boston. She desperately cast out ideas for amusements that would keep the other women entertained.
The women loved the idea of picturing their future husbands, and so took turns carefully describing the perfect man. Of course, no two specimens were alike, so there was much good-natured jostling as they laughed at each other's ideas of a perfect man. The day was complete when John distributed letters written to the women by the lumberjacks. As none of these were personalized, they were shared among one and all, until each woman held a letter that she thought was written by her "perfect" man. Molly realized with a start that she alone did not have a letter. Oh well, she thought to herself, 'tis fitting as I'm not one to be looking for a husband to tie me down.
The fourth day, the scenery changed. They had left the last outposts behind; miles of prairie stretched out before them. About midday, one of them spied a wagon train lumbering along besides the tracks, and all of the women rushed to the windows to see it. Although the train was traveling at the unbelievable speed of 30 miles an hour, it was possible to look at the faces of those in the wagon train. The fatigue etched into their faces gave testimony to the hard journey the trip cross country by wagon train was. Not a single grumble was heard the rest of that day.
Traveling across the Sierra Nevada mountain range was an adventure, and the women gasped in awe as the train reached the summit. Lumbering down, it approached Sacramento, and finally, eight days after they left Boston, the brides reached the Oakland wharf. San Francisco was a ferry ride across the Bay, and the women gasped as they realized the entire train had pulled onto the ferry for the crossing.
After the long days on the train, staring at mile after mile of open prairie, Molly could not believe San Francisco, and she wondered for a moment if she should lose herself there. Looking about, she decided it was much too built up, much too civilized, much too like Boston for her to ever be happy there. No, I will continue on with my plan. I will go to Seattle, and make my way from there.
Leaving the train in San Francisco, the young women boarded a side-wheeler from San Francisco to Seattle. John had debated about spending a couple of days in San Francisco, but he was eager to deliver the brides to his lumberjacks. The seven-day trip was rough, and many of the young women spent most of the time seasick. John was concerned that once they realized what an outpost Seattle was, many of the brides would regret their decision and demand to return to Boston. The memory of the wretched week on the boat went a long way in preventing that; most of the young women could not bear the thought of ever boarding a boat again.
Although the women were eager for dry land again, they were devastated by their first sight of Seattle. Although none of them expected a city as large as Boston or San Francisco, neither did they expect a village consisting of a handful of buildings; three of which were saloons. John gave a fine speech, meant to be inspiring but missing its mark. Exchanging looks amongst themselves, the young women finally began to pick up their satchels and move towards the gangplank.
All of a sudden, the dirt road was filled with men. It did not take long after the side-wheeler was sighted for the word to spread, and the lonely men, deprived of the sight of women for so long, abandoned their duties and rushed to greet the boat and hopefully meet a young lady or two.
If the young women were not already taken aback, the sight of dozens of men running down the paths to the dock, whooping and hollering in their excitement was nearly enough to make the women decide to return to San Francisco, seasickness be damned.
Several of the men tripped over themselves in their eagerness to help Molly with her one satchel. Smiling grimly, she tightened her hold on her bag and assured the men that their help was not needed. Observing this, John Albright was torn between annoyance at her attitude, admiration for her gumption, and hope that she would eventually choose him.
Had anyone been watching John, they would have seen him jump as if physically prodded. Startled, he turned away from Molly, thankful that she had not seen him, after all. So it was that he did not notice her walking towards him, satchel in hand.
"If I may, Mr. Albright, I'd like a word with you," she stated calmly.
